"Don't you know a closed door to intensive means stay out!," anger had been in McCoy's voice as he turned and then he nodded, "I should've known it would be you two. Thought I told you if there was any change I would tell you. Nothing either of you can do."

Slowly both Spock and Kirk walked over to the bed McCoy had been trying to block their way to and full view of. All the registers were showing the fight Ty was fighting. Unaware that Kirk was watching his reaction Spock shook his head and very slowly reached out to lightly place his hand on Ty's face and started to close his eyes but quickly withdrew it and shook his head again as he opened his eyes and just looked at Ty, almost in wonder.

Remembering seeing him doing that on the planet Kirk said, "Spock, what?"

"Pain. Far worse than the Horta's. An awareness he has to get you home. Keeps saying 'Kirk to Spock on ship'. He does not know where he is. He knows you are somewhere near. But the pain, Jim." again Spock shook his head, "Pain that would stop even a Vulcan possess his body and all his mind but that thought. Pain is his world and his reality."

Kirk only then allowed himself to look at Ty. McCoy had him covered poultices of that plantain and there was a small container by Ty's head which was giving off the pungent aroma. There was just a small towel across Ty's pelvis area giving the man some privacy. There was a thick pad where the knife Halls had welded the knife and Kirk saw a different plant in the poultice.

Very slowly he walked up to the bed and carefully reached out and took one of Ty's hands in one of his and placed his other hand on Ty's forehead, trying to ignore the heat he felt. "It's Kirk, Ty. You're safe. I'm safe. We are home. We are on the Enterprise. You just rest. I will be right here. You rest and," for that moment his mind failed him as he felt the spasms of pain in the hand he held.

"His report, Jim." Spock whispered and saw his friend nod.

"I need your full report on what happened down there. Starfleet Command will need it to support my report. I need you to help me, Ty. I need you, the ship needs you." Kirk briefly looked at McCoy and Spock, "The whole crew needs you. You need to rest but you must fight, Ty. We will help you now you are back on the ship."

There was a blip and an indication his breathing had slightly changed. McCoy quickly added more green and yellow leaves to the boiling water that was making the vapor Ty was breathing and gradually the aroma in the room changed.

"You two are going to have to go. I need to get in some help."

"Doctor," Spock looked at McCoy and saw in the blue eyes that look back at him the real reason and knew he could not allow it, "The Captain and I are already here. We will assist."

"Spock, he is going to be,"

"Bones, I saw him down there. I highly doubt if anything that can be done to him here could be any worse than."

"Okay, but we have to be ready. Soon as his breathing changes again you two roll him on his side towards the steam and I will hold open his mouth. You best make sure that towel around his pelvic area is tight as his systems are about to flush if what that lad told Chekov to tell me is true." McCoy looked at both of his friends not sure how they really would react to what was to happen and not sure how he was going to deal with it.

Not more than three point eight five minutes after McCoy had spoken Spock found himself holding Ty's legs steady as he helped hold him on his side, Jim was still holding Ty's hand but also holding him on his side, and McCoy carefully opened Ty's mouth. Fluids seemed to almost explode from his mouth, nose, and pelvic area and the three said nothing as Ty's body arched and twisted four times then was still, nothing as they cleaned Ty's body and placed him on a new bed. None of them said a word as they watched the registers lower slowly then stop at just under severe indicators.

"You two can go get some rest now. Crisis is over. He will sleep now and I will let you know when he wakes up."

Spock looked at Kirk then at McCoy. "I am not as tired as you and Jim are, Doctor. I will let you two know when he awakens."

"That,"

"Engineering to the Captain."

"The Captain here, what seems to be the problem, Scotty?"

"Ahhh, we have a slight glitch in the maintenance check, Sir."

"Slight? How slight?"

"Tis just there is no lightening in there at the moment, Sir. And the heating needs to be kept at five Celsius for another twenty-four hours. The Commodore might find the situation,"

"I will deal with the Commodore, Scotty. Thank you for the heads up and keep doing that check."

"Right you are then, Sir."

Kirk started to turn back to the bed when the intercom buzzed again and McCoy said, "Who's the popular boy now?"

"Kirk here."

"Lieutenant Uhura here, Sir. I have been asked to inform you that the changes to the guest accommodations will be finished in about five standard days and that the ablution units in the guest accommodations will be finished two days after that."

When he looked at McCoy and then at Spock he saw a reflection of what he was feeling. His crew was ensuring there was no other place for the Commodore and that he knew he was getting some of what he had done to one of their own. While he had expected it of the rest of the crew when Kirk looked at how McCoy who was ginning and then at how Spock had raised an eyebrow he knew they agreed with the crew.

"I believe, Captain, that you have a situation elsewhere you should attend to and you can ensure the good doctor gets to his quarters for some sleep as you go."

Kirk knew what Spock meant and although he did not want to leave Ty, although he had told Ty he would be there he also knew Spock would contact him immediately if there were any change.

"Okay, Bones. You better come with me to check on the health of the Commodore. I have to ensure he is healthy."

"More's the pity." McCoy muttered then turned to look at his patient and saw how Spock had his hand resting close o Ty's head and knew it was a way the Vulcan could reassure himself that Ty's condition had not changed. Blasted Vulcans had an advantage that way. Something about the vibrations of the body. "You just take care of him, Spock. You are aware,"

"You have fully prepared me of what to expect, Doctor. Your instruction was quite thorough, thank you. I assume you will ensure that the Captain does not harm the Commodore."

McCoy nodded, "No guarantees there, Spock. However I will ensure Jim sleeps for a few hours after we have seen to our guest."

As they walked to the brig Kirk looked at McCoy, "I do not think he is going to be all that pleased."

"It is just coincidence that he is in the brig at a time when maintenance of being done." McCoy smiled at him, "Surely a man who was after what he called the best ship in the fleet will understand that such minor inconveniences are needed to keep it the best? Plus he has the rare opportunity to inspect the facilities available in the brig first-hand."

Kirk smiled at his friend, "I may use that, Bones. Will be interesting to how he is taking the treatment. You do know that the usual guest accommodation is also being updated, according to Uhura."

"No doubt you will find our which of the crew decided we needed some changes done to the guest accommodations and have a word with them."

"More like a drink with them."

"I will be interested to see if the Commodore even asks about Baylance." McCoy looked at Kirk as they were about to enter the area and put his hand on Kirk's arm.

"What? I know that look, Jim. What are you up to?"

"I'd rather not say, Bones. Your reactions will natural if you do not know."

As he looked at his friend every warning symptom he had ever felt suddenly returned as he looked into the hazel eyes. There was something there, something about them that let him know Kirk was planning something close to revenge but not crossing the line. He took a deep breath as they each took a torch handed to them by the security officer who said, "He is not a happy camper, Sir."

The whole area was dark and much, much cooler than the rest of the ship.

"I hope you have the coffee right this time. Last time it was not all that top and had no sugar in it. No wonder they have you working down here. If this was my ship you would not be on it, not even in Starfleet."

Kirk turned on the bright torch he held and looked at the Commodore. "I am quite surprised you think so poorly of my second in command of security. Jennings is a good officer."

"A good officer obeys a senior officer, Kirk. Have you finally come to free me from this, this situation."

"No."

"You do realize that I will report you for this ill-treatment that borders on barbarism, don't you? You are aware that it is cold in here and there is presently no lighting apart from torches."

"You wanted the Enterprise as it is the best ship in the fleet and in order to keep it that way my crew know, understand, and tolerate inconveniences such as this for the sake of the ship."

"They are different, Kirk. Did you never realize that they are different? They are just crew. They have no greatness about them. Perhaps it is because you were the youngest Captain in the fleet that you did not have a chance to notice how different they are to us. We command and lead, they do and follow. You will see when I have my hearing. You will see how they will obey me as they know I am your superior officer. Am only in here because you could not lead, you were not fit to command this ship, your crew did not stop me from leaving you there. Even Mister Spock left you there." Halls had laughed, "You own First Officer was not hesitant in notifying the crew you were dead. He was the one to tell them you were dead."

"Mister Spock only said they were reported dead." McCoy stopped rocking on his heels and looked at the man with a rare look of contempt, "He said reported to let the crew know he did not believe you. Spock not believing you was good enough for us. We took our lead from him. You must have been not only blind but stupid or arrogant beyond belief not to have noticed how after you had said something we would glance at him for a nod before we did anything."

"No! You all only hesitated so that you fully understood what I wanted. I expected a delay for a few days between what I ordered and it being done. You all obeyed me."

Kirk saw McCoy again rocking on his heels, a sure sign he was getting primed and this time he was not going to stop his friend, "We all obeyed you? You, Sir, are delusional! What was it, three or four times Lieutenant Uhural defied your orders to tell you her contact when she spoke at the communications center? The way the Chief Engineer was hardly on the bridge or in contact with you. And was a yes/no from both Helm and Navigation stations really obeying?"

"I was obeyed!"

"By which individuals? Even the ones on the planet worked against you."

"They obeyed me! They knew I was the man in command, that I had total command of the ship."

"Oh, they did when they first took the Captain and Officer Baylance but then they turned against you as they saw what you did, when they saw the measure of real men like James Kirk and Ty Baylance. And," McCoy stood still and looked right at Halls, "you were never really in even temporary command of the ship."

"No! It will be mine! Kirk let a junior officer die! Kirk has mistreated me since his return to the ship. I am his superior officer in so many ways. He broke the Prime Directive by showing a primitive culture our technology! That is the worst thing he could do. That and just letting a junior office die as he did will give me the ship. Letting an officer die in his place on this ship when not under enemy attack is tantamount to murder."

Kirk looked at Halls and made sure Halls could see the hate and fury on his face, "Do you know how much more technologically advanced than us they really are?"

"Advanced? You saw how they were treating that dying man. Not a hospital."

"Because they stopped using synthetic substances of medicine hundreds of years ago and use natural medicines and methods. They have technology that is more advanced than we have in many areas. They just prefer to live a more natural balanced life."

"But they had no communication!"

"Their system was weak and compromised by what you gave them for us! You duped them. Fortunately Mister Spock was able to show them a way to not have to rely on the outside world again for parts."

"Spock!" Hall all but spat the name. "I am going to report him for insubordination! He would challenge me in that quiet Vulcan way. He knew what the others were doing and would not tell me. He knew the Communications Officer had spoken to somebody, knew who she had spoken with , and would not tell me. The crew would ignore me and refer to him. But he will, if they ask him, tell how he saw you use that officer as a shield, how it was your action that killed him. I will make sure he tells them how you used that officer and caused his death."

For a few breaths there was silence and Kirk was aware of the hostility on Hall's face as he looked at him through the force field. Halls had no idea that Ty was still alive, that somehow whatever was keeping him with them had not let go.

"Yes, Kirk, you and you alone killed that officer. You could have saved him, Kirk, but you pulled him off a Sickbay bed and used him as a shield. You let him die. That poison makes for a slow and very painful death and his death is your fault, Captain. You had one of your own men killed."

"But you held the knife. It was you who stabbed him."

"He died in your place as I wanted you gone. This is my ship. You were in the way. You put him between us. You killed him. You used him like a shield. They all saw it. You killed him. You killed him yet you put me in here. You should be in here. At the very least I should be in the guest accommodation."

For a moment Kirk was quiet. Halls still thought he was going to get the ship. Still would not accept the reality that he was in the brig and would never be on a ship again. Halls still could not grasp the fact that a person would offer up their life for another's life, that . When he looked at McCoy he could see in the torch light that his friend was concerned but supportive.

"As the guest accommodation is undergoing its annual renovations and updating you are not only safer here but here you at least have a functioning ablution area." Kirk half-smiled, "As was appointed out to me you at least have had an opportunity to first-hand inspect the condition of the brig on this ship. Now, if you'll excuse me I am meant to be sleeping, doctor's orders."

"I hope every night you dream of how that officer died, Kirk. I hope you remember how you were holding him when he died in your arms. I saw how you held him. How you had used him as a shield."

McCoy placed a hand lightly on his shoulder and together they walked away with Halls still calling after them, "His death is your fault Kirk."

Kirk headed for an intercom unit,"I should check with Spock." but McCoy gripped his hand and just looked at him for a moment then he nodded, "You're right, he would contact us if there were a change. I imagine you have something you are going to give me to make sure I sleep."

As they entered his quarters McCoy nodded, "You know you need to sleep. I just bet you did not get much down there."

"I slept fairly well, Bones. I held Ty down there and I think it was more for me than for him." Kirk sat on his bed and shook his head, "I, I was asked if I wanted to leave him out in the cold, if I would let him go like that. I, I," he looked up into two blue eyes, "I almost did, Bones. I thought about it. It would have saved him all he has gone through."

"But you didn't, Jim."

"No, but did I do it so I would not be alone, so that I had somebody from someplace familiar, somebody from home, or for him? I want to believe I did it for him but, but Bones, I think I did it for me. I let him go through what he has gone through when I could have,"

"Now you stop that, Jim!" the anger in his voice made Kirk look up at his friend, "You did what you thought you had to do just as he had done what he thought he had to do. I would bet that neither of you would have lasted long alone there. Oh, you might have survived but you would have blamed yourself for his death."

"And I would have been right as he was not Security, he was to be an observer only. Chekov was Security. I wonder why Halls,"

"Halls would have seen him as weak. He would not have taken time to read his full record."

"I must have when he joined the ship but cannot remember anything special, anything all that unusual. I do know I do not have any officer who cannot be beamed down as observers." he started to stand but McCoy stopped him, "I was just going to check,"

A hypo hissed and McCoy said, "You get some sleep. I am going to get some sleep. Spock is with him and a medical team is right there if needed. We did tell Spock we would sleep."

Spock noticed a change in Ty's breathing, a change in his body position and quickly got up and eased the trembling body onto its side just as Ty started to vomit. It was not as odorous nor prolific as before but it was, he knew, a good sign. After cleaning up the small amount that missed the basin he got a clean cloth and gently started to wipe Ty's face. "I will tell Doctor McCoy of this, that you are still fighting. I will wait till he and the Captain return as they need sleep. You just sleep as well. I am here."

"Kirk?" the voice was soft but strained.

"No. This is Spock. You are back on the ship. Captain Kirk is sleeping." cautiously he reached out and placed his hand lightly on Ty's face gently finding the points and no longer finding the all-consuming pain nor the repeated frantic need to get Kirk to him as had been there before. Just as quickly and gently as he had initiated the mind touch he took his hand away and saw two brown eyes looking at him. "You are safe, Ty. The Captain is safe and sleeping. Go back to sleep. I will be with you till he returns."

"Tired." The eyes closed and Spock looked at the registers as well as at Ty. It was a deep and natural breathing. He was sleeping. As he sat back down the Vulcan realized just how tire he was. Since Jim had been left behind he had only had eleven point six hours of sleep. He had been uneasy about Commodore Halls from when he had first beamed aboard and when he had returned with just Chekov he was even more suspicious. Through the mental link that had developed over the years between him and Jim he had known his friend was alive.

Looking at Ty he realized how much he owed the man. He had kept Jim alive on the planet and had somehow found it in him to lunge at the knife when Halls had come into Sickbay earlier. Even as he remembered that attack he remembered how he would not have reached Jim in time, how stunned they had been that Ty was not only aware of what was happening but also had the strength to propel himself off the bed. He kept seeing how that knife that Halls had held would have disemboweled Jim as well as injected all that poison into his systems.

A hand on his shoulder made him look up and he saw Mister Scott looking down at him and smelled the familiar aroma of a Vulcan tea he found refreshing. "I did nae want to disturb ye, Mister Spock, but I thought ye may be needing a cuppa tea about now as the Captain and McCoy left Sickbay four hours ago. The lad is still with us."

Just for a moment Spock wanted ask how the Chief Engineer knew when Jim and McCoy had left but know the crew of the ship looked after one another like that and was tempted to point out the illogic of the statement as it was apparent that Officer Baylance was still there on the bed but he knew what the Chief Engineer meant and nodded, "Thank you for the tea." He nodded his thanks as he took as sip and let himself sigh and slightly relax at the familiar warmth and soothing effect. "Officer Baylance is sleeping. He has had some beneficial reactions to the herbal medications and is experiencing less pain than before. Do you know the ship's,"

"Ship's status is up to par and we are heading to Star Base six at warp four. We are still doing the thorough maintenance check of the brig area and I can now say my lads will have it finished in another eleven hours and we will slowly raise the temperature from five Celsius then." there was a pause and Spock saw the Scotsman look at Ty, "Sulu has the Conn right now. Relieved me about an hour ago. I could at first nae remember which of the Vulcan teas ye like so asked Uhura. She said to tell ye if you want or need a break from being with the lad to let her know and she will sit with him. If ye need a break now I can sit with the lad."

As he took another sip of the tea Spock realized just how much more than a crew the Enterprise had, how it was a family, a very large extended family but a family all the same. "I will have to thank her. There will be no need for you to sit with him as I will remain here till McCoy returns. You will need rest after the maintenance checks are done. I was unaware that they were to be done." The way Scotty looked away let him know that the man was uncomfortable about what he had perpetrated. "Am I correct in my assumption that both you and Uhura had the idea to make changes in the guest accommodation? I did not see any requests for such structural work."

"Well, ah, there is no actual real structural work, Sir."

Uncertainty and suspicion stirred in the Vulcan, "Please explain."

A/N Busy weekend ahead so will be back sometime next week, hopefully. Have fun and enjoy.