Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek 2009 or anything else connected to the Star Trek franchise.

Warnings:

Slash Spock/Kirk

Mentions of rape

Swearing

AU fic

POSSESSED

Chapter 11 - Showdown

Jim shivered, darting out of sight as he shook off the last of the transporter beam. Scotty had dropped him on a platform off a huge expanse spiraling through the bowels of the Romulan ship. The scanners showed the ship was large but that didn't prepare him for where he was standing now, feeling like he'd been dropped to the bottom of a cave so far down that he couldn't see the light from the sun. The gloom became a veil that hid everything from sight which could tell him where he was and where he needed to go. Spock was probably somewhere down one of those veiled corridors, in some room being tortured.

Jim turned into the corridor pulling his weapon, eyes scanning and ears alert to any sound. He couldn't see any visible cameras but he stayed to the shadows just incase, not wanting anyone to get a good look at him. He needed to find a computer terminal, decipher the language, and find Spock. The base had been easier; Starfleet having the consoles and computers automatically set to standard and the Romulans hadn't been bothered to change it. But he knew this ship wouldn't be.

Moving through the corridors he hoped the others had followed his orders and gone straight to Pike. Jim needed them to give him the information so he would have an even better reason then 'the Romulans just being in restricted space to blow them up' and Humans and Vulcans could finally find peace.

Foreign words filtered towards him down the length of the corridor, the heavy thud of boots dropping on the solid metal floor. Jim pulled up his weapon, darting into dark alcove. As long as they didn't turn back to see the way they had come, they wouldn't see him. He steadied his breathing as they got closer, adjusting his grip around his silent weapon. The one thing that phasers had wrong with them was the steady whine they made when charged; it wasn't something you would hear normally, but in a silent corridor where the sound could echo, having an enemy with sensitive hearing it could be a dead give away. Jim's phaser was special; he'd modified it himself with a little help from Scotty so it would make no sound and increase its accuracy. He'd thought he'd lost it when Spock had captured them, but the Vulcans were kind enough to give what was left of his belongings to McCoy when they'd transported them back to Earth base. It also shot silently, which was very useful when he shot down the two Romulans as one turned in his direction perhaps just sensing his presence behind them.

Holstering his weapon he drug the two bodies into his little alcove, hiding them from sight. Checking them over, he pulled a wicked looking knife from one and tucked it into his belt. He already had his own combat knife but it was sheathed in a handy leg scabbard concealed in his fatigues. It was something he had come up with after the desert fiasco when he was unable to reach the knife in his boot to defend himself. Now he had two knives in easy reach.

Further into the ship Jim had turned from his original corridor still looking for any sort of computer terminal or indication as to where Spock might be being held. It was not 3 meters past his latest turn that he heard more voices.

'Fuck' passed through his head as he merged into the shadows of his corridor seeing the bulky shapes pause at the start of the corridor he had just turned down. They didn't seem to have heard or seen him, nor did they show any interest in moving down the corridor Jim was concealed in. For all intents and purposes they were just two soldiers stopping for a chat between duties.

Jim stayed were he was knowing from experience that moving would just draw their attention to his position. He had to reply on the dark fatigues he wore after stripping his cold weather gear and the shadows that wove their way around him. The hand that held his phaser stayed steady, ready to aim and fire at any indication the soldiers had seen him.

His ears pricked as a frown pulled on his forehead. The words, some of the words he recognized. Uhura did say that Romulan was similar to Vulcan, and with them sharing a common ancestry it made sense. They were talking about someone, a prisoner. They had to be talking about Spock and by the shorter ones striking hand gestures he was describing something unpleasant. He was slightly glad Romulans were a hell of a lot easier to read then Vulcans, but a knot was growing in his stomach as the gestures became more gruesome. Jim really hoped what ever the pointy-eared bastard was describing was what was going to happen and not what had happened to the prisoner they were speaking about.

Jim's shoulders relaxed slightly as the two moved off. He took a chance, darting silently forwards to see where they had gone and followed, keeping a good distance away so they wouldn't hear him. The sight of his phaser was trained to rest on their backs. They lead him to well lit corridors and he was forced to give up pursuit, wary there would be more Romulans around every corner. More voices filtered around him, bouncing off the hard surfaces of the corridor making it difficult to tell where they came from. Wherever they had lead him he wasn't in a very good position, so with reluctance and the need to preserve his life, Jim moved back to find an unoccupied room to slip out of sight.

The room was sparsely furnished, everything bolted to the walls or the floor, consisting of a few benches and a table. The table, as luck would have it, was complete with a computer terminal. Jim grinned, making sure to secure the door before he flew over to the terminal, holstering his gun so he could use both his hands to manipulate the foreign looking keypad.

He swore under his breath barely, able to understand anything that flash across the screen. The code was completely unfamiliar and the foreign letters making up half of it didn't help. Slowly he started to recognize some of the sequences and letters, one close enough to be Vulcan, but the code was something else. Who ever had programmed the ship had used a code measures beyond anything he had ever seen before, far in advance of Earth's or Vulcan present technologies. As far as he knew, the Romulans were not this advanced either. If he had to speculate, advanced coding such as this would only be possible decades into the future.

Jim growled, struggling to get into the system. He'd managed to pull up a map, but it showed him nothing; no marked cells or brig. He knew where he was in the ship but he needed an indecent report, just one tiny input that would direct him to where Spock was being held. Fifteen minutes in Jim groaned, slumping on to the bench, head falling into his hands; he was getting nowhere. He may be good with computers but even he couldn't get past the ridiculously advanced coding in a fucking foreign language. He had maybe 30 minutes of his hour left, probably less, and he was still no closer to finding Spock. He could go out and try to search for him manually but the ship was immense. He could be lost for days with no idea where the hell he was inside the monstrosity that was this ship, let alone where Spock was. Days were obviously not an option. If his platoon actually followed his orders for once then they would have convinced Pike to attack the ship soon and then there would be nothing left for him to look through or find. Hell, there wouldn't be anything left of him to do the looking or the finding.

The door beeping as the lock was disengaged, startled him from his dark thoughts. It swished open before he could move and a Romulan soldier stepped into the room babbling something in a tone of voice indicating he was just a little bit cheerful. Jim froze, realizing two things. His hands on his head were covering his rounded ears and maybe because of that and the low lighting, the Romulan thought he was one of them.

He grunted in reply to what ever the Romulan had said, carefully dropping his hand towards his phaser, grateful his right side faced away from the door and the chatty Romulan. It took two seconds to get his weapon in hand, his thumb expertly flicking the setting from kill, to stun the soldier in the doorway. Jim leapt up pulling the Romulan into the room and securing the door behind him once more. This time he made sure it wouldn't open for anyone but him.

Two minutes later he had the pointy-eared bastard stripped to the waist, using lengths of his shirt to tie him flat on the bench. It wasn't the best solution but it would hold his prisoner long enough for what he needed.

A few harsh slaps later and the murky brown eyes of the heavily tattooed and bald Romulan snapped open. Jim pushed a thumb under his jaw just where the larynx began cutting off any sound the Romulan tried to make as he realized his situation.

"Do you speak standard?" Jim asked politely, leaning over his captive, "Nod if you do."

The Romulan just glared at him. Jim could feel him pulling at his bonds, testing their strength, "I asked," Jim emphasizing his words, directing the point of the knife in his free hand between the last two ribs on the left side directly above the Romulan's heart, "Do you speak Standard?"

Pointy-ears froze feeling the sharp tip press into his side, blood beading where it just broke the skin. He managed a small nodded, Jim's thumb under his chin making it difficult.

"Good," Jim smiled, easing off a little with the knife, "Then you'll understand my questions," he paused, blue eyes hard as he studied the face of the Romulan he had captured. This one, if you ignored the tattoos, didn't seem like much of a fighter. His eyes wavered, darting around the room looking for some escape, angry and frightened. Fear was something a soldier would never let you see.

"You have a Vulcan prisoner?" he wanted to confirm, pressing the knife down when he didn't nod straight away, a trickle of green blood rolled down the Romulan's side, "Where is he?" Jim questioned after getting the affirmative nod he wanted.

He eased back slightly with his thumb, giving his prisoner room to speak. Instead of speaking however he took a deep breath. Jim jammed his thumb back under his chin, snapping his head back into the bench, the knife dipping into the pale flesh beneath it. The tip only an inch above the rapidly beating heart, he spoke again, "Try to scream or shout and you will be dead before the first sound leaves your lips," Jim hissed, twisting the knife just slightly to get his point across. The Romulan's pained grunt was his answer but it satisfied him and he eased back, "Where is the Vulcan being held?" Jim asked slowly, waiting for an answer. After a moments thought he added in a light tone, "If you don't tell me I'll have to ask someone else and that won't end well for you."

"Second infirmary," the Romulan rasped out, Jim frowned pushing the knife deeper, "True, true," the Romulan gasped. He pictured the map he had found picking where he was and directed himself towards what could possibly be the second infirmary. It at least was one Vulcan word he recognized and it wasn't too far away from his current position. But why would they keep him there?

Jim stood up straight, pulling both his hands back to shoot the Romulan before he could realize Jim had moved away. The wound bled sluggishly at his captive's side, indicating he hadn't hit any major arteries. He bandaged it with the remaining strips of shirt; he would live for now. Jim sheathed his knife, switching his phaser back to kill, because if the Romulan wasn't telling him the truth, he might just be able to come back and get more information. If he didn't have time they would both die when Earth forces destroyed the ship anyway.

POSSESSED

In the corridors between him and the second infirmary Jim encountered three more Romulans. He took them down before they could utter a sound. The two standing guard in front of the infirmary doors, a good sign he was in the right place, met the same fate. The doors themselves didn't keep him out for long and he slid through them phaser first. The room he entered definitely wasn't a med bay of any kind, or at least it hadn't been for quiet sometime. Thick cords ran across the floor to the unknown, snaking threw the centimeters deep water seeping across the floor held in by the raised lip of the door. The dim lights reflected off the murky surface throwing disorienting shadows in to the dark recesses of the room, promising something much worst was lurking in the darkness beyond the thick columns and cluttered tables. The one steady light drew Jim's focus to a table, formally a bio-bed, and the man strapped to it. He aimed his phaser at the Romulan standing over the Vulcan.

"Nero," Jim spoke steadily, recognizing the insurgent Captain from the short video chat, "Surrender now and the earth forces surrounding your ship will not have to blow it to pieces."

The two pointy-eared men turned at his voice. Spock's brown eyes lit up in a second of surprise before his brow lowered slightly in the only indication of his disapproval. Nero studied him thoughtfully before greeting him, "James you have impeccable timing, I was just about to explain to Spock here why you all deserve to suffer."

Jim's sharp eyes took in Spock's form strapped to the bed, seeing only the blossoming patch of dark green and yellow skin on his neck. No tell-tale green splatter was present and he let out a silent breath in relief. They'd ruffed Spock up but Nero hadn't got to the torture yet.

He knew he should just kill Nero now get Spock out, but he held off knowing this might be the only chance they had for getting the answers to this whole crazy Romulan conspiracy. Knowing Spock wasn't in immediate danger of dying from his injuries helped his decision.

"Then tell us," Jim said stepping further into the room, making sure the door behind him closed securely and his phaser stayed aimed at the ship's captain, "Tell us why you forced Earth and Vulcan to go to war?"

Nero was calm, unhindered by the phaser pointed at his chest, his dark eyes focused on Jim, "I didn't force anything, you are the ones that went to war," His voice wore an edge of accusation as he spoke betraying his feelings of the subject.

"You planted a Vulcan device in a Human shuttle and then attacked it, killing all 140 people aboard," Jim shot back, blue eyes blazing as he adjusted his grip around his weapon.

"I did," the Romulan admitted almost gleefully.

"Why? Who ordered it?" Jim demanded, he knew he was cutting it close, his hour deadline soon to run out.

Nero had no intention of giving him the answers straightway, not before he explained everything his own way, "This was a simple mining vessel before it was modified. I lead a life of honest labor to provide for my wife and unborn child."

Jim flinched back at the unexpected brightness of the hologram generation showing the image a young Romulan woman round with child, "In my time I was happy," Nero continued, his voice taking on sharp tone, "But it all fell apart. I was off planet when it happened. I watched helpless as my planet burned."

"What are you taking about?" Jim questioned. Captain Nero had to be insane because what ever he thought had happened definitely hadn't at least not yet, he thought, "Romulus isn't gone, it's still out there presumably where you left it and what does that have do with Earth and Vulcan?"

"It has everything to do with it!" Nero voice rose in irritation at Jim's questions and complete disbelief, "Your federation made promises and stood back to watch as my planet broke in half. And Spock!" the Romulan growled, hand slamming down on the table inches from Spock's ear, "Didn't help, he betrayed us!"

Jim tightened his finger on the trigger daring Nero to try anything against Spock. The Romulan was most definitely insane and Jim was questioning if he'd made the right decision in trying to get the truth out of him, "The federation had nothing to do with Romulus, we didn't even know what your people looked like until now. And I know Spock hasn't ever met you before."

"No," Nero growled, moving back from the bed, plain fury painted on his face, "They had everything to do with it. They killed my wife and when I lost her, I promised myself retribution. I wanted to destroy your planets, like you did to Romulus, watch them implode into a black hole. It was never to be, but my brethren convinced me of another way. To stop the federation in their tracks and I could watch it crumble while Earth and Vulcan destroyed each other, watch Romulus rise up."

"Brethren?" Jim asked, realization slowly forming. This ship and this crazy ass Romulan were from the future or something, which would explain the ridiculously advanced computer coding, "Do you mean the Romulan council?"

"They did; they found us 45 years ago when we came out of the other side, they looked after us. I gave them all our data. I told them about the Federation, what it had done. My people helped me in my vengeance," The pointy-eared bastard veiled a proud undertone below his anger, hand trailing across the edge of the table between the straps holding the Vulcan captive.

"The Romulan council convinced you to start a war to end the federation. What better way then to destroy the Federation by pitting the two major player against each other," Jim summarized for him, anger rising.

"Yes and then Spock, a child of Earth and Vulcan, would never be born," Nero growled, hand gripping on of the straps, pulling it taunt to watch it dig into Spock's chest, "And he could never betray us."

"But he was born," Jim said, keeping his voice calm, not wanting to push the crazed Romulan over the edge and let him hurt Spock before he could shoot him.

"He was, but it was into an era of war. He would instead die in combat as his planet died around him," the captain released the strap, his brown eyes snapping up to hold Jim in their dark furious stare, "But he had to ruin that too, you had to ruin everything and now you will die and I'll make him watch."

"Jim!" Spock's voice, unheard by him since his capture, startled him out of his rigid stance a moment too late as Ayel, Nero's first, burst from the shadows to tackle Jim. Water sloshed around them as their bodies hit the ground. Jim's phaser went flying, knocked out of his hand by the impact. The Romulan knife went too, Ayel pulling it from his belt, tossing it out of reach. It glinted dully before disappearing under the murky waters.

Jim gasped, winded when his back collided with the metal floor. Listening to Nero, neither he nor Spock had heard or seen Ayel creep into the room. He'd waited then for the best opportunity to take out the threat to his Captain.

"Watch Spock," Jim heard a grin in Nero's voice as Ayel straddled his legs trapping his body beneath heavy muscle, "Watch as the man you love dies and you are helpless to stop it."

Jim swung up, managing a blow to the Romulan's head as he heard Spock struggling against his restraints. Ayel struck him hard in retaliation, his blocking useless against the Romulan's strength. His eyes sparked white pain blossoming through his head.

The chirping console saved him from a second blow, "Captain we are being hailed by an Earth ship," a voice spoke over the intercom. Jim vaguely wondered why it was in standard, pretty sure a Romulan officer was speaking.

"Put it through!" Nero growled irritated at being interrupted, moving to a screen out of Jim's field of vision. There was a pause for half a second before the Romulan Captain yelled in out rage, "YOU!"

The answer was muffled, Jim unable to make out the words spoken, but what ever was said enraged Nero further, "Finish him," the Romulan growled at his first storming from the room jaw set in a thin line.

Jim took the opportunity to fight back, thrusting his hips upwards to dislodge the Romulan holding him down. He tried to grasp at one of the Romulan's arms, trying to pull him down so he could flip him properly and get the advantage, but Ayel was well trained. He grabbed at Jim's arms dropping his full weight onto Jim's stomach forcing the air from the human's lungs.

Jim panicked, unable to breath, all his training flying out the window as the familiar struggle sent him into the past. Feeling different hands ripping at his clothing, pinning his wrists to the floor. He managed a strangled screamed, twisting and thrashing against his captor, not caring about the damage he did to himself in the process. His only goal was to get out and way from the pointy-eared bastard above him.

Then he felt it, the press of sharpened steel against his leg, pulling him back to reality as Ayel's hands clasped around his throat. As the Romulan's grip tightened Jim could hear Spock calling to him, thrashing in his restraints, his voice almost begging Ayel to let him go. But the Romulan just smiled, a twisted curve of his lips eyes gleaming as Jim's hand weakly pulled at his vice like fingers, "Humans are so weak aren't they, so easy to break."

Jim thought it was ironic, that those would be the last words he ever said as Jim slid the knife from his hidden pouch and drove it into the Romulan's side, straight into the bastard's heart. Ayel got a seconds chance for the surprise to fall across his face before the human shoved his limp form away letting it splash into the shallow water.

Jim gasped in a few ragged breaths, pulling much needed oxygen into his lungs before stumbling to his feet, bloodied knife falling from numb fingers. He felt like he had just killed Spock, images of months before flashing across his eyes of the Vulcan pinning him to the bed, tying him up, pressing against him. He shivered remembering the feeling of helplessness and humiliation the Vulcan had put him through.

He didn't look up as Spock called his name, his eyes instead finding his phaser lying a few meters to his left. Jim stooped to pick it up, sliding it into his holster before moving over to the table beside Spock.

The Vulcan's eyes followed his every tense move, flickering to his face to take in his expression. He followed Jim's fingers as they searched the torture devices laid out across the table and select a thin blade, picking it up so the light reflected off the steel.

"If you wish to kill me, I understand," Spock told him quietly, brown eyes fixing on blue as Jim pressed the knife to Spock's neck. Green blood oozed from under the blade as Jim drew it away pressing his finger to the wound smearing the green liquid across pale skin.

Silently Jim reached down to his belt, flicking a small compartment open on his evac unit to press his smeared finger to the sensor inside. Removing the straps, Jim lay a hand over Spock's own, curling their fingers together as a smile touched his lips, "If I couldn't kill you then, what makes you think I would kill you now?" He murmured as the evac unit activated pulling them away from the enemy ship.

Spock lips twitched in what could almost be a smile.

POSSESSED

AN: Yay another chapter done and done, only one more to go :D And I still can't believe no ones spotted my plot hole, or you guys are just too nice to say anything. I'll take the second explanation just so you know ;)

I must point out for disclaimers sake, that I borrowed a lot of Nero's speech from the movie when he was torturing Pike. I just rewrote it to fit in to my story. Hope you don't mind, cause I've always found Nero really hard to write and I wanted him to actually sound like himself :D

Anyway hope you enjoyed it and thanks you so much to all those that reviewed my last chapter :D And of course a big Thank You to HyenaGreyScale for being my beta. :D

Please please please REVIEW.