This is a belated K/S day treat for you all, especially those who guessed that Keras name is Sarek backwards. Hope you like it.
We find out what happens to Kirk on the Romulan ship and we see what Spock and Selik are doing to ensure that Jim comes back.
Star Trek isn't mine
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With five minutes to spare, Kirk hurries into the transporter room and quickly steps up onto the pad. He turns to Scotty who is at the controls and is looking at him like he is mad.
"Where's the fire, laddy? Normally people be running from Romulans, not to them."
Jim glances over at the door before his eyes once again settle on the engineer.
"Don't want to keep them waiting, is all. Romulans don't seem like the kind of people that tolerate tardiness. Better to be early than late. So, can we get this show on the road or do you need more time?"
Mr Scott shakes his head as he starts pressing some of the buttons in front of him.
"Everything is set, Captain. On your order."
Jim reaches behind him to pull the phaser from his belt and throws it to ground, knowing that it will do him little good if he is caught with it on the Romulan ship and Keras seems like the kind of guy who will check for weapons the moment he is beamed aboard. Let the bastards think they have him at their mercy.
Kirk gives the man in red a small nod. "Blow them back to hell, and if you can manage it, get me out the fuck out of there before you do, Scotty. Energise."
As beams of light begin to swirl around him, Jim catches a scurry of movement near the entrance and he turns his head just in time to see Spock, followed closely by Selik, rush into the room. The younger Vulcan is reaching out for him, but Kirk knows that he will be too late. He decides now is as good a time as any to drop his shields blocking their bond. His mind is instantly overwhelmed with Spock's fear and it takes all his will power not to jump off the platform and abate his bond-mate's worries. Even if he could do that without getting them blown up by pissed off Romulans, it's too late now. The transporter has him in it's grip. There is no way to be free of it when it has progressed this far.
Just before he disappears, Jim's mental hands stretch out for Spock's mind.
'Love you, t'hy'la. Never forget that.'
As his body materializes on the transporter pad of the enemy ship, Kirk visibly winces as the echo of Spock's agonized howl bounces around his psyche. It only takes him a moment to get one of his patented cocky expressions in place as two Romulan brutes drag him down from the pad he is standing on and quickly, but thoroughly search him. He gives one of the two angry looking aliens a sly smile and a wink.
"So where's the party at boys? I was promised a good time."
Spock is still staring at the, now empty, transporter platform as he gets pulled out of the room by his older self, who has a strong hold of his wrist. He searches for Kirk within his head, but the only feedback he gets from the link is a pleasant warmth that tells him that the bond is still alive. He is releaved that he is able to still sense his bond-mate and yet he can't help but feel angry at the fact that they are not longer together. He finally gets free of Selik's grasp and turns around when he nearly trips over his own feet. In no time at all he is matching the older Vulcan's stride. His eyes narrow at his other self as they continue to make their way down to the labs.
"You knew what he planned to do and you did nothing to stop him. He will be killed."
They make it into the lab and after Selik shuts the door, he turns to his younger self with a soft, sympathetic eyes.
"One thing I have learned about Jim Kirk is that he can beat the odds. Even though your bond-mate is different to mine, I have found that the fundamentals that make up James Tiberius Kirk to be nearly identical. You nust have faith in your t'hy'la."
Spock, who has been searching the shelves for the ingredients he'll need to make the explosive device, spins angrily on his heels and glowers at the Ambassador.
"That is easy for you to say, you had many years with your bond-mate before you lost him. I have have been bonded to my James for less than a day. No matter how much I wish to believe that he will make it out of this situation alive, I am still all too aware of the likelihood of him surviving his encounter with the Romulans. Is it so wrong that I wished to keep him with me, so that we could spend out last moments together?"
Selik walks up to Spock and grabs the Infernite and Cabrodine that were right in front of the younger Vulcan the whole time. He steps over to the desk and gestures for Spock to join him.
"It is not wrong to wish to be with your mate when you believe that death is a very real possibility, but you must understand that trying to stop Jim from saving his ship and crew is as impossible as trying to stop planets from spinning or suns from shinning. He was never going to let you hold him back, especially when he knows that his actions will protect you."
Spock sighs as he lifts his communicator from his belt and begins to meticulously pull it apart.
"I do know and it only makes me love him more. It is quite infuriating."
Selik chuckles as his gaze drops from the young Vulcan and he starts measuring out the ingredients that will be needed.
"Indeed."
Kirk is unceremoniously shoved into what looks like a less fancy version of the brig back on the Enterprise. He is surprised that this ship even has a brig. Romulans are not exactly known for taking prisoners.
He lays down himself on his slab for unmeasurable amount of time and just lets his mind wander. He tries to touch Spock's mind through their link, but it seems they are too far apart for them to share each others thoughts. All he can feel is a warm buzzing just at the edge of his consciousness that tells him that Spock is still alive and still connected to him. He was hoping for more but it's enough.
Jim jumps to his feet when he hears the forcefield around his cell get deactivated. He isn't fool enough to make a break for it, but he takes a battle stance and watches as Commander Keras, who is flanked by two security officers, enter.
The Romulan captain's eyes sweep over the Humans form in a clinical way until his black eyes meet blue ones.
"I expected you to be taller, Captain Kirk."
Jim shrugs. "I get that a lot. I was a preemie."
Keras' eyebrow goes up and he grins at the blond before him.
"You are entertaining, Captain. That is a rare quality to find within an officer who also shows incredible bravery. It is a shame that we must be enemies, when it is so clear that we could have been comrades in arms if circumstances had been different."
Jim inwardly scoffs. 'Yeah, a real shame. Dickhead'
He, of course, does not voice any of this and instead simply bows his head in agreement.
"Now Captain, I'm afraid that with all the pleasantries out of the way, we must move on to more unpleasant activities."
Keras waves his hand in the air and the two Romulans at his side advance on Kirk. He doesn't fight them as they grab him, because if they kill him now, they might discover the bomb before it can do its job. Also, he promised he would get back to Spock. He can handle a little torture.
The Romulans bind his hands behind his back and one of them grabs him by his hair and pulls at it roughly. The Romulan commander is no longer in his sight since he is now being forced to stare up at the ceiling, but he can hear the man step closer to him.
"I will not lie Captain, this is going to be extremely painful."
"Jim can feel a pressure against his lower ribs and tries to recoil when a blade slides its way through his flesh. The knife twists and Kirk screams in agony.
"Please Captain, tell me the Starfleet security codes."
Spock stumbles as he and Selik make their way into the transporter room, where Scotty is anxiously waiting for them to give him the device. He is stabilised by the steady hand of the Ambassador on his arm.
"Is it Jim? Has something happened?"
Spock shakes his head, not as an answer, but to clear his mind.
"I... I do not know. The bond that I share with James feels has through it is on fire. There is pain. It is bearable... for me at least, but it is increasing in intensity."
Selik hands the explosive device over to the engineer and allows him to go about setting up the process for beaming it over to the Romulan ship. He grabs his younger counterpart by the shoulders and shakes him slightly, making sure he has the Vulcan's full attention.
"The burning means that your bond-mate is in pain. It will grow as his pain grows. It is fortunate that you have been separated or else you would feel everything he feels and be incapacitated by it. I also believe that Jim's natural mental defences may be protecting you from the full force of his pain."
Spock is staring at Selik in hopeless desperation and makes an attempt to free himself from the older Vulcan's grip.
"Why tell me this, knowing that I am unable to help him? Are you trying to punish me?"
Selik shakes his head. "No, I am trying to give you hope. As long as you feel that burning, it means that Jim is still alive. It is when you feel nothing that you must worry."
Selik lets go of Spock and moves towards the transporter platform where Scotty is just now placing the device on one of the pads. He crouches down and presses a few buttons on the modified communicator and then stands again to face Mr Scott.
"I have given us six minute until detonation. Any longer and the chances of it being discovered and defused will greatly increase. Will that be enough time for you to track down Captain Kirk and beam him aboard?"
Scotty has his head down, as he inputs the co-ordinates needed to place the explosive device as close to the warp drives as he can.
"Aye, that should be more than enough time. Now step back, it's time to deliver our little present."
Selik moves back to stand by Spock's side and the two Vulcan's watch as the bomb disappears in a whirl of light. They both turn to the man in red and wait as he tries to get a fix on the captain. They both step forward in concern when Scotty's calm face turns to one of panic.
"Ah, we may have a wee bit of a problem here."
Spock speeds around the console to look for himself at the scanners. His face falls as he makes sense of the information on the computer screen. He lifts his head to lock eyes with a concerned Selik.
"There is interference coming from the Romulan ship. We cannot get a lock on James."
Selik joins them behind the transporter control terminal and begins frantically typing instructions into the computer system. It only takes a moment for Mr Scott and Spock to catch on to what he is doing and join in.
"We must boost the power of the scanners and break through the interference that is most likely being caused by their cloaking device. It should not take very long."
Spock glances at him, while his fingers continues to fly over the keyboard.
"Will it be enough?"
The old Vulcan's eyes turn hard with determination as he moves over to the screen next to him to scan the current readouts.
"It will have to be. We will make it enough."
Jim slumps forward, only being held upright by the harsh grip of the Romulan flunkies on either side of him. He lifts his head just enough to see Keras place the taser weapon back into his belt. Kirk lets out a little sigh of relief. The electric shocks had hurt like hell. Much worse than the chocking or the burning, but must admit that the knife still wedged between his ribs is what hurts the most. Probably because there has been no release from that pain.
Kirk flinches away somewhat when the Romulan commander takes a step closer to him, but halts his movements when the knife in his side shift, causing a sudden burst of pain to shoot through his body.
'Note to self: Don't move a fucking muscle. Pain is not out friend, so stop inviting it to dinner.'
Jim closes his eyes when he sees the Romulan captain raise his hand. He waits for the pain of a slap or a punch, but it never comes. Instead, he feels a soft pat on his head. His eyes shoot open and his gazes into those of his enemy. There is a grudging respect within those black pools.
"You are truly a great warrior. Many of my own men would not have been able to hold out against the torture you have been subjected to and yet you have not told us anything of value."
Kirk gives Keras a indignant look.
"What are you talking about? That microwavable chocolate cake recipe is worth it's weight in gold. Nothing of value, psh."
The Commander shakes his head and chuckles, but when his eyes once again meet Kirk's, the blond can see that they are filled with regret.
"It has become clear that you will not give us the information we desire, so I am left no other choice but to kill you. Do not worry, it will be a quick and honourable death. A soldier's death."
Jim huffs out a small chuckle.
"Gee, thanks."
Just before the Romulan at his pushes his head down, Kirk gets a glimpse of the sword that Keras pulls from his belt. He wants to struggle but he knows that it is useless. He is as good as dead. He can hear the sword as it is lifted in the air and he waits for it to drop. It never does, instead an alarm sounds. Jim can see from his view of the floor that the Romulan captain is now walking away from him and over to the far wall.
"Commander Keras here. What is the problem?"
There is static for a moment and then a deep (and to Kirk's ears, slightly worried) voice blares from the small speakers.
"Commander, our scanners have picked up a device of unknown origin within our engine room. We have sent men to investigate, but they have yet to discover it's whereabouts."
There is silence for a few seconds and then Keras finally responds.
"I will send the men that are with me to help with the search and when I am finished with our captive, I will return to the bridge and we will deal with that ship. I have little doubt that it was them that sent it. How foolish the desperate are."
Not long after Keras has finished speaking, Kirk is dropped to the floor by the two Romulan guards. He watches from his prone position on the ground as the two sets of feet march out the room without a single word spoken.
The Romulan commander stares at him from his place near the wall.
"What have your men been doing while you have been gone, Captain Kirk? Surely they know that by acting against us means their certain death?"
Kirk doesn't answer the commander. He is too focused on the sensation that he has experienced many times before. He is about to be enclosed in a transporter beam. Sure enough, after this realisation hits him, he is surrounded by bright white lights. He starts laughing, ignoring the pain it causes his side. He frees his hand from underneath his body, lifts it to where he is sure that the surprised Romulan can see it and then flips him the bird. Just as he disappears, he sees flames burst into the room and engulf a screaming Keras. Jim can't seem to muster up any sympathy.
'Good riddance.'
The next thing Kirk is aware of is that he is back on the Enterprise, but something's wrong. All the pain that he had to deal with on the enemy ship was nothing compared to the agony now pulsing through his head. It's the bond. It's not broken, but it feels as if a lead door has been slammed shut on it. He tries to pull at the imaginary door with his mind but it won't budge, so he goes to touch the bond and tries to sooth it. He cries out in torment.
Hands are on him. First his body and then his face.
"Come on, Jim. Calm down and open your eyes. Tell me where it hurts."
Jim knows that voice. He opens his to find McCoy staring down at him. Something is different about him though. Of there own accord, Kirk's eyes begin to search the room frantically. It's the ship but something is off. His eyes still when they land on Spock, who has just entered the room. His whole body relaxes at the sight, but it soon tenses again when he tries to reach for his bond-mate and gets noting but a very faint sense of warmth, but nothing near to what his Spock would radiate.
"You aren't him."
His voice is nothing but a whisper, but by the raised eyebrow and confused tilt of the head, it is obvious that Spock has heard him.
Another ripple of pain travels through the bond in Jim's head and his is blinded by it. His hands scramble for purchase and eventual take a hold of the blue tunic of his best friend, who is still hovering above him. He looks up into the troubled eyes of the doctor and pleads with his own.
"What can I do, Jim? Tell me how to stop the pain."
Kirk's whole body tenses and he arches up as a fire burns throughout him, making him feel as though his insides have turned to ash.
"Send me back. Send me back to him."
It is an almost voiceless plea and the last thing his says before his body takes pity on him and he succumbs to darkness.
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I won't be updating again until next Friday. The next chapter will be exciting and it might shed some light on a few things.