A/N: So, before everyone lynches me for being horribly late, I have good news: it's finished! I'll upload the next chapter 24 hours after this one and the epilogue 24 hours after that. I thought about breaking these last two big ones into three... but figured maybe two super-long chapters would kina make up for the wait? (No? Well, I deserve that). I may have some canon notes at the bottom of one of them, or lump everything in the epilogue, I dunno yet, but the STORY STORY is DONE. I'm just uploading now.

Happy late Memorial Day.

Kinch was waiting for London to broadcast after the evening role call as usual, though tonight he was tapping anxiously on the desk. Depending on what kind of answers they could make or break the delicate balancing act Hogan was playing with Kirk. He knew exactly how the game was played.

Sure enough, a chatter started filtering through. Kinch gripped his head set and grabbed a piece of paper. They were transmitting in Morse Code this time.

MAMA BEAR TO PAPA BEAR COME IN PAPA BEAR

PAPA BEAR HERE

NO INFO ON 3 CUBS FROM USS ENT NO INFO ON RESCUE MISSION NO INFO ON NAMES WITH RANKS

Kinch frowned as a cold weight settled in his stomach. According to London these men shouldn't exist. What was going on here?

A slight noise distracted him from replying right away. He pushed back from his desk and peered down the tunnel. McCoy was awake, up even, as he was walking around. Kinch eyed for a moment before realizing what the doctor was poking at- the strange whistling black box.

"Do you know what that is?" he called suddenly.

McCoy jumped a little at is echoing voice before relaxing. He walked over to him, slinging the box's strap over his shoulder with ease. "As a matter of fact, I do. I don't know what it's doing here, though."

Kinch twitched. "What's it called?"

"It's a tricorder," McCoy answered simply. "Although if this is a 1943 construct it figures you wouldn't know that."

Kinch was confused by his second sentence but had to return his attention to the radio. "Could you hold on for just a second?"

McCoy nodded good-naturedly as Kinch hurriedly tapped.

REQUEST INFO ON TRICORDER

REQUEST INFO ON WHAT?

TRICORDER

SPELLING

TRICORDER BLACK BOX W/STRAP WHISTLES INTENT UNKNOWN

NO INFO ON TRICORDER JERRY WEAPON?

UNKNOWN

"I should call the colonel down here," Kinch said casually. He still wasn't sure what that 'tricorder' thing was, but McCoy clearly knew how to use it- and he wasn't sure who McCoy was. "Since you're awake he will probably have some more questions for you."

"Feeling's mutual," McCoy replied, looking at the radio. "I still don't understand how I got here."

Kinch gave him a rueful smile. "I can half-explain that mystery. Newkirk and I found you in the woods and brought you here- what you were doing before that is anyone's guess."

"I suppose so," McCoy agreed. He rubbed his arms. "Well, I'll just wait here, I guess."

Kinch rose, tearing off the exchange he had with London. "I'll be right back."

He quickly strode to the ladder, glancing back once to see McCoy still fiddling with the tricorder. He felt uneasy leaving him alone in their tunnel with that strange machine, but he had to inform Hogan of the developments immediately. Up he went.

"Any news, Kinch?"

He was barely out of the tunnel when the question reached his ears. He swung up into the barracks and handed Hogan London's transcript. "Not much."

"Mystery men, huh? Could be plants… but this is the oddest story the krauts have come up with…" Hogan frowned as he read further down. "What's a tricorder?"

"Well, that's the second thing, Colonel," Kinch answered. "Dr. McCoy's awake, and he knows what that little black box does."

"Awake? Coherent?" Hogan immediately folded the paper into his breast pocket. "Newkirk, LeBeau, man the fort up here. Carter, with us."

The three men retreated down the bunk in a hurry.

McCoy was still hovering by the radio, though on the opposite side from where he had been last standing. The tricorder's strap was looped around his shoulder comfortably. He whirled as they approached.

Hogan stopped and sized him up. "Dr. McCoy?"

"Yes," the man answered cautiously.

"Do you remember me?"

They watched as McCoy considered the statement. "I remember seeing you. You're a colonel or something, right? 'm afraid your name escapes me."

"Hogan. Col. Robert Hogan." He walked a little closer. "You've been out of it for a while."

"Oh, I don't doubt it," McCoy commented, looking around the tunnel. "Where am I?" He gestured Kinch. "He said that he and some other guy found me in the woods, but that doesn't tell me much."

"Those are gaps I want to know, too." He leaned on the edge of the table with the radio. "You mind answering some questions, McCoy?"

McCoy blinked a few times before giving a small shrug. "I suppose not." He lowered himself onto a nearby stool and looked anxiously around the tunnel once more. "I should let you know I'm still seeing these big earthy walls everywhere."

Hogan looked over his shoulder at Kinch and Carter. "Kinch, go get Wilson." He turned back. "You're seeing walls because we're in a tunnel, understand? I see 'em too."

"Yeah, and me too!" Carter added enthusiastically.

McCoy's eyes widened, but he otherwise did not react. "Wait, what? I… I thought I was hallucinating in a hospital and you're… what kind of questions are you gonna ask, then?"

"First, what do you remember? Kinch and Newkirk found you out in the woods screaming bloody murder a couple days ago. Can you recall how you got there?"

McCoy frowned. "I remember some rocks… flashes of movement… I got away through something, but I can't remember what it was. Just that it was big."

"Got away?" Hogan repeated.

"Was somebody after you?" Carter butted in. Hogan looked at him.

"I think so," McCoy nodded. "Though I can't remember who, or why…" His frown deepened, making the lines on his face stand out far more clearly. "Course, if I was delirious it could've been anybody from doctors to security tryin' ta make sure I wouldn't hurt myself. I have no idea."

Hm. That was actually a good point. Hogan was less sure that the doctor's paranoia held credible information. "Were they speaking English or German?"

The doctor did a double-take. "Why would you ask that?"

"Just answer the question," Hogan pressed impatiently, but McCoy seemed suddenly deep in thought.

"1943, you said… earlier." He looked down at the tricorder in his lap and then the radio equipment on the table. His face clouded over in suspicion. "Where am I?"

"You answer my question first."

"No, to blazes with that! I already answered one of your questions! Where am I?"

The man was on his feet and Hogan stood up as well, gauging the man's temper. The man's accent had thickened considerably with his demand, though from what Hogan could tell, he wasn't brandishing the tricorder-box in any threatening way. Still, he wanted to make sure he wouldn't lose control.

Kinch chose to return at that moment with Wilson in tow. They stopped before the commotion.

Hogan glanced at them before addressing the enraged guest. "You're in a tunnel system below a German prisoner of war camp. The closest town is Hammelburg. That help?"

Slowly, McCoy sank back down onto his stool. "Germany," he echoed. "I guess that explains the German question."

Hogan stepped forward. "You mentioned you had served on the Enterprise. How did you get out here, then?"

The doctor looked up at him. "That's a very good question."

"Y'mean you don't know?" Carter exclaimed.

"I don't remember!" McCoy snapped. He rubbed his eyes. "One minute I'm on the bridge, the next I'm…" He looked around unsteadily.

Hogan took another step closer. "We contacted London. They don't have a record of you ever setting foot on the Enterprise."

"Well, no, of course they wouldn't," the doctor muttered.

"What was that?"

"I said they wouldn't!" he lashed. "I'm… this has got to be a dream."

Hogan pointed at the tricorder. "Do you know what that thing is?"

"It's a tricorder-"

"And you know how it works?"

"Yes, but-"

"Then why don't you show us?"

Wilson tried to step forward to halt the onslaught on the recovered man, but Kinch held him back. Hogan's questioning might just get them the info they needed.

"Carter, c'mere." Hogan's hand waved the sergeant over. He looked sternly at McCoy. "Show him how to use it."

Wariness flickered in McCoy's eyes. "I don't think I should…"

"Why not?"

He rubbed his brow. "It's not for just anyone…"

"Boy, I'm 'just anyone' now?" Carter protested.

"Look, it's not my place who decides-"

"Then whose place is it?" Hogan interrupted.

McCoy hesitated.

"Is it Captain Kirk's?"

The doctor's head snapped up, eyes blown wide. "You know about Captain Kirk?"

Hogan crossed his arms and regarded him bluntly. "What do you know about him?"

The doctor grew fidgety, but it seemed to be from hope rather than reluctance. "Is he here?"

The colonel pursed his lips. "He is. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

McCoy tossed up his hands. "We're in a POW camp, if what you say is true. You tell me."

Fair point, Hogan conceded. "Do you also know a Commander Grayson?"

"Grayson? Not ringing any bells… they got a first name?"

"Spock Grayson."

No one was prepared when McCoy's perpetual frown suddenly broke into a wide grin. "I'll be damned. Spock Grayson. Of course." He smoothed his hands on his pant legs, still totally oblivious to his odd uniform compared to the others. "I take it they've both been looking for me?"

"They have."

McCoy started bouncing his knees. "Can I go see them?"

"Tomorrow. Wilson?" Hogan motioned the medic over to finally look over the doctor.

The good mood left as quickly as it came. "Why tomorrow?" McCoy demanded, a hint of challenge in his voice.

"Because it's the middle of the night by now," Hogan explained lightly, falling back to his witty self. "Even prisoners need their beauty sleep."

They watched McCoy tense and relax to his statement before swatting Wilson away. The medic huffed and trailed after Hogan towards the false bunk. Kinch and Carter followed several paces back.

"Well, he's mostly recuperated. Sleep cycles seem to be out of whack, but otherwise he looks healthy. Temperamental," he muttered.

"I noticed." Hogan exhaled. "He doesn't even know who was after him. Doctors, or krauts, or kraut doctors… But he knows that box is a tri-" he unfolded Kinch's report from his pocket. "A tricorder. I think we can rule out Kirk and Grayson chasing him, since they seem pretty welcome. They might be telling the truth after all."

Kinch piped up. "McCoy seemed unsurprised that London would have no record of him. Could the same be said of the others?"

"Possibly. Top secret enough to erase their histories?"

Carter shifted his feet. "You gonna introduce them to each other tomorrow, Colonel?"

Hogan shrugged. "Why not? It seems safe between them, and if Kirk is McCoy's superior maybe we can find out what that tricorder does without breaking anything. First thing after roll call tomorrow, got it?"

The men agreed and split off to return to their barracks- Hogan and Carter up the bunk, while Wilson walked down the tunnel to his barracks' entrance. Kinch returned to the radio room where McCoy was still stubbornly clutching the tricorder. He put on an easy-going smile and stuck out a hand.

"I'm James Kinchloe, by the way."

McCoy shook it without hesitation. "McCoy, Leonard McCoy," he answered, his natural drawl creeping through. Kinch gave a tight smile as they released, though the doctor's next words took him a little off guard. "Say, if you're down here, too, is there any way to pass the time, like a board game we could play or something? Not to interrupt you from your work, of course… I'm just a little wired right now."

Kinch cast his mind over the living conditions for their numerous rescues. "We have a checkerboard in the other room- hold on." He returned a moment later carefully balancing the worn pieces on the platform. McCoy scooted the stool up by the clear spot on the radio table and helped him set it up.

"You want to go first, or shall I?"

Kinch looked up. After a moment, he smiled. "I'll go first, if you don't mind."

"Hell, if I minded, why would I have asked?"

It earned a surprised chuckle from Kinch and the two leaned in to the game.

Kirk and Spock stood closely together in the brisk spring morning for roll call. It wasn't as bad as the previous days, but still chillier than either was used to.

Kirk narrowed his eyes as he saw one of the guards, a private, stride hurriedly to the commandant, almost interrupting Klink's rooster call of "Repoooooort!" He only seemed to remember himself in time to snap a salute as the birdlike colonel walked past.

The was interesting. Kirk had the upcoming meeting with Hogan on his mind today, but the private's behavior was holding his attention. He fidgeted constantly throughout roll call, as if bursting with energy despite the long night's patrol he had just finished. What was his name? Mayor? Minor?

As soon as the prisoners were dismissed, the private was off like a shot towards Klink. He chatted excitedly about something, reached in his pocket, and pulled out…

"Spock!" Kirk grabbed his first officer's elbow.

"I see it, Captain," he answered gravely.

"You didn't have your phaser on you when we jumped, did you?"

"No, Captain, only the tricorder. Communicators and other advanced technology were left with Scott and Uhura, but the tricorder could not be discarded. I will remind, however, that Lt. Kyle reported his phaser missing right when the doctor beamed down."

Kirk watched as Klink took hold of the deadly object, turning it over. Inwardly he cringed for a moment as the commandant pointed it right at his face. Eventually the two disappeared inside the office.

"If they have the phaser, then where's McCoy? He is here!"

"I know Captain, but clearly Private Meyer did not locate the doctor alongside his device." Spock tilted his head with sudden new urgency.

"Jim, this could be the contamination we are required to prevent. If the Nazis succeed in reverse engineering the phaser, then their technological advances with it will be greater than the devastation wrought by them with the machine gun in the first world war."

"I know, Spock, we must get the phaser, but we must find McCoy."

"At this point, the doctor's presence would not affect the current circumstances. The Germans have the phaser. We must not let it leave this camp."

Kirk narrowed his eyes. "Are you saying we abandon McCoy and focus on the phaser?"

"Not entirely, Captain. There may still be ways in the future for the doctor to upset the balance of the times. But we do not know where he is, and we are trapped in this camp. We do know where the phaser is, the implications it holds, and we are in a position, for now, to do something about it. Logically, we must address the most immediate problem."

Kirk flexed his hands. "Spock, I have a meeting with Hogan in five minutes!"

"Then we shall be efficient. While you meet with the colonel, I shall keep track of the phaser."

Kirk pinched the bridge of his nose. "I don't like this, Spock, we're suspicious enough as it is."

"Unfortunate, Captain, and yet necessary."

"Alright, go," Kirk ordered. "This is supposed to finalize the details of knowing about each other… maybe something can help us."

He didn't look back as he jogged towards Barracks 2.

Hogan closed the door, then leaned back against it to eye Kirk's serious face. "Yeah, I saw Private Meyer. Couldn't see what he was so excited about from our angle, but it was definitely odd. So what is it?"

"It's a top-secret item connected with our missing man," Kirk answered, hard. "I cannot give you details – it's classified – but it's imperative that we get it back."

Hogan and the other men nodded, though Carter propped his elbows up on the table in wonder. "Gee, you don't suppose it's another tricorder, do you?"

Kirk and Hogan's heads whipped towards him, one in surprise and one in warning.

"Tricorder?" Kirk repeated, more as a statement. He turned to Hogan accusingly. "Did you take our tricorder?"

"Actually, Newkirk did," Hogan replied. He left the door and crossed in front of Kirk. "But we have it, yes."

"Where?"

"Captain," Hogan stated, making his authority clear. "I told you I would look into your story last night. Well, I did. What is so top secret that London doesn't have any records of your existence and fails to inform us?"

Kirk swallowed. He held contact with those dark eyes as his brain danced. "You know better than to ask that question."

Hogan didn't move, yet Kirk could sense he was right on the tipping point of something. If he didn't play his next card right, they would have a very powerful enemy in the camp. The truth was out of the question. Trust too often relied on truth, but they needed to trust each other. Kirk always trusted his gut, though, and his gut still reminded him that Hogan was somewhere in the history books, which had to be a good thing…

"Please," he said quietly. "I cannot tell you everything about that object… but if the Germans get a hold of it then we've lost the war."

He could feel the surprise in the room, and saw that Hogan was suddenly grave. The colonel's eyes scrutinized his every reaction, and Kirk tried to make himself as earnest as possible. It wasn't hard. He'd said as much of the truth as he could. And they were so close to that tipping point…

Something shifted in the colonel and he straightened. "For whatever reason London hasn't told us about you," he remarked. "They should have at least told you about us. For now, we'll call it lost communications." He turned towards one of his men. "Kinch? Time to introduce Kirk to our guest."

Kirk watched as the tired, though alert, sergeant walked over to one of the bunk beds and… he gaped. The bottom bunk swung up and a ladder descended below into a tunnel. Kinch vanished somewhere inside.

He turned to Hogan, who joined him by his shoulder. "That's one surprise I wasn't expecting."

"If you pay a fee, you'll get to see our premium surprises," Hogan replied.

"Available for a limited time only," Newkirk added dryly.

The banter would have continued except Kinch was returning up the ladder. He was followed by a second person, wearing blue…

"Bones!" Before he could stop himself Kirk flew across the distance and embraced the doctor, nearly sending them toppling back down into the earth. McCoy jumped in surprise before laughing and slapping him heartily on the back. Kirk almost melted in relief. He drew back and looked Bones up and down critically. He spied Spock's tricorder slung over his shoulder, thank goodness, but was more concerned with his doctor's health.

"You doing okay?" he asked in a low voice.

"I am now, Jim," McCoy answered quietly. He tried to look around Jim's shoulder. "Where's Spock?"

"Grayson's keeping an eye on-" his eyes widened as he broke off and he whirled around to Hogan.

"Right," Hogan nodded. "To the coffee pot."

Both Starfleet men looked confused, but everyone else got up and followed Hogan like it was completely normal. In the officer's quarters, they watched as LeBeau took out a coffee pot and… plugged it in.

"Oh good, we're just in time for a phone call," Hogan commented as sounds started filtering through.

"Jim, what?" McCoy began, but Kirk shushed him. He recognized Klink's voice on the other end.

"-itler," Klink finished in greeting. Everyone leaned in closer. "General, one of my privates has found a unique object while on patrol last – oh, what does his name matter? I have the item right here!" Pause. "No, General, it's not that. It's small and sleek, not quite square, with two little buttons on one side. Now, it's certainly nothing I recognize, but- what?" There was an audible gulp. "Yes, General, I wouldn't recognize my own monocle, of course General."

The prisoners chuckled. Kirk and McCoy glanced at each other.

"-rtheless, I still think you should come see this, sir. I'm thinking it was lost from an Allied raid, or perhaps a spy dropped it in the woods or… no, I don't have the spy… yes, General…yes I will. Thank you, General Burkhalter! Heil Hitler!"

Hogan unplugged the pot and leaned his head against his wrist. "General Burkhalter, great," he muttered.

Kirk didn't recognize the name, but he recognized the tone. "Colonel, I have to stress to you the variables of most importance. We must get this item away from Klink and Grayson, McCoy, and I must escape before this general gets here."

Hogan looked at him sharply. "Escape?" he said. "That can't just happen to you and Grayson. We keep Klink in that office under our thumb because he has an 'impeccable' no-escape record, do you understand? We can get McCoy out quickly enough, but you and Grayson are already registered. We'd have to get you transferred."

Kirk stiffened. This was a problem. He narrowed his eyes at the coffeepot/listening device and thought back to the well-hidden tunnel. Spock was so concerned about not letting the phaser fall into the Nazis' hands that he may have missed the danger of completing their mission and vanishing back through the Guardian without a trace- leaving Hogan and his men to suffer the fallout.

"Listen to me," he broached. "We had an immediate extraction plan once we recovered McCoy. As soon as we get that ph- object in our possession, we leave immediately. If you don't want your protective escape record ruined, then we need to find a way to bend those rules before we get the item."

"I know, I'm thinking," Hogan said. His eyes zeroed in on McCoy's tricorder. "Can that thing or the one Klink has help us in any way?"

"What, the tricorder?" McCoy asked, startled. "Don't see how."

"Maybe not the tricorder, but maybe…" Kirk sucked in a breath and levelled Hogan.

"Not breaching classified information, but I can confirm that the object is a weapon."

Hogan nodded, understanding his seriousness. "Can I ask if it's a weapon that detonates?"

"You can," Kirk answered. He made a show of tilting his head back and forth. "It can," he addressed, still hinting towards the phaser's ambiguity, but that it was possible.

Carter barely managed to squelch his excitement. Newkirk elbowed him.

"Alright," Hogan said. "You mentioned Grayson is watching this weapon. We'll confirm with him, but Klink's probably going to put it in his safe. We don't have much time before Burkhalter gets here. Get the commander over here, and we'll all go over the plan…"