Hi, everyone!

Thanks for the fantastic reviews. :)

Sorry, my laptop was sent in to be fixed, but I'm back now! :D

Disclaimer: As much as I wish I own these characters (and the actors! Oh, yummy...) I don't. However, I do own Niburan and it's inhabitants, the Joremur, Abrigon, Rhododensalvus, and all that other stuff. So no stealing, please!

If you have any suggestions or questions, feel free to say something.

There is a nice scene in here between Kirk and Uhura. I, personally, am a SpockNyota fan, but this scene can be viewed upon as friendly, siblingish, or fluffy. I'll leave it up to your imagination.

R&R

I studied the map at every angle. The small, red signal was precisely fifteen feet and three point five inches beneath the ground, meaning that the most likely scenario would be that, if the ceilings were the usual eight feet high, the person carrying Nyota's earpiece would be sitting two floors down, in the South-Western corner.

I stood up from where I was at the main panel and sat back in the Captain's chair.

"Bridge to Transporter Room."

"This is Scotty," said the distinctly Scottish voice.

"Lieutenant Scott, we require your presence in the bridge. Bridge out."

Sulu looked up from where he was at the helm. "Any tricks up your sleeves?"

I looked at him blankly. I never understood that expression - why would I put anything up my sleeves when I have pockets? I told him this and he just shook his head, returning his attention to the panel before him.

Scotty walked through the turbolift within moments. "What can I do for you, Commander?" he asked me.

I gestured to the screen before us, the signal and map still on it. "I called you up here to inquire if you could beam me there," I informed him, raising my hand to point to the signal.

He studied the screen for a moment. "Sir, is that..?"

"Yes, it seems one of our crewmates - Lieutenant Uhura, most likely - is giving off a signal."

He looked at me in a way I couldn't comprehend.

"I'm sorry, Sir. There is just no way to beam someone underground. You can end up in the floor, or the ceiling, or a wall," he explained to me, running his hand through his hair with a frown.

I had conjectured this would be the case, but the disappointment still hit me after I was told this. For a moment I thought of abandoning my idea of a rescue and following orders, but my mother's face came to mind.

I already lost her.

Could I lose Nyota, too?

I knew I was faced with the so-called "point of no return" as I considered what to do next. I had only been in this position twice before - in my decision to attend Starfleet Academy and my decision to enter a romantic relationship with Nyota Uhura. Both of these choices seemed illogical to me when made, but neither decision I grew to regret... Would I end up regretting this one?

"What time is it in Abrigon, Ensign Chekov?" I inquired, my chair swerving to face him.

"It is now 10:14, Sir."

I nodded. "Affirmative." I hesitated for a moment, looking at the three men surrounding me in turn. I remembered the numerous speeches Nyota has given me about overworking a boy of Pavel Chekov's age, so turned to Sulu.

"Lieutenant Sulu, you will be accompanying me to the planet surface. Chekov, I leave you in charge. I want you, Scotty, to be ready to beam people up on my signal. I also want one of you to alert Nurse Chapel once we've left to be ready for any crew members who will need to be treated," I ordered.

Everyone, after a short moment of hesitant disbelief, sprang into action. Two young Yeomans walked through the door, still chatting about something that happened during their dinner break. Chekov interrupted them, quickly sending one of them to alert Christine Chapel and the other to sit at the communicator panel.

"And be sure to don your sword, Lieutenant. We may need it more than we are expecting," I told him, pacing to the turbolift after patting Ensign Chekov on the back - I did not know why the Captain always thought this was a soothing action, for I merely found it unnecessarily painful.

The lift quickly moved, passing by floors slower, it seemed, than usual. I was fast, however, making up time that was lost. Into my quarters, grabbing what I would need, out of my quarters, back into the turbolift.

They will be okay.

- - -

I gently gripped his arms, holding him steady as more blood and saliva projected from his mouth. McCoy held a rag to Jim's mouth, a fabric I recognized as his shirt sleeve. It was touching, seeing this older man care for Jim so much - he had already sacrificed his coat for him, probably already saving him from any sorts of viruses that could threaten his health even more so.

"Okay, here we go, Jim," I murmured to him gently as McCoy helped me lay him back down. Luckily, he did not have a fever, although my instincts told me it was very likely to happen. McCoy stood up, gesturing away from the Captain, implying he needed to speak with me. I started to stand, but the hushed voice beside me stopped my movements.

"It seems to me that you've seen me beaten up and battered more times than you've seen me in good health," he wheezed with a twinkle in his eye. I laughed softly.

"I'm sure you clean up well."

"I hope you get to see it."

I tried to roll my eyes, the movement difficult.

"Don't be so dramatic," I told him, moving some hair from his eyes, "When you were accused of cheating, you had to look appropriate."

He smirked. "I meant without looking like an asshole."

"Sorry to break it to you, but there aren't a lot of moments when that's not the case."

He chuckled softly, his eyes searching the dark ceiling silently.

"I was just kidding you, Jim."

"Were you?" His eyes looked to mine, but mine looked into the darkness outside of our prison where there was still no sign of our captors.

"Yes," I told him, my hand still on his shoulder, "I was."

He smiled. "Oh, and don't forget I had to where a dress uniform when promoted to Captain of a Starship," he added and I nodded.

We stayed silent for a moment.

"Great load of good I'm doing as a Captain," he whispered.

I looked down at the man who was more broken than I had ever seen him. James Tiberius Kirk in a tattered, bloodied uniform and oversized coat, covered head-to-toe with bruises and other injuries not visible to the naked eye.

"You couldn't have known this was going to happen, Jim."

I didn't mention his drinking. He didn't need a reminder.

"Your boyfriend must be so proud of me." Was that disappointment I heard?

I looked down at him, waiting for him to continue.

"I never deserved to be Captain, Nyota. This is a different timeline, a different reality. Whoever the man I was supposed to be was, I'm definitely not here."

"I don't understand."

"Spock deserves to be Captain, should have been already, but at least he soon will be."

"And why is that?" I asked him, regretting what the answer would be.

"By the time back up gets here - because, trust me, the Fed'll be sending backup once he contacts them, we'll be long gone. Where, I don't know. But that's why he deserves it - he follows the rules, he knows how to handle these situations. I could never to that, anyway."

I looked to McCoy who was watching us through tired eyes, his dark hair sticking out at random places from how many times he has run his hands through it tonight. I felt a small sense of admiration for the man - he would care for Kirk with no complaints, only to sit down and say nothing of any injuries he may have. I intended on telling him what a good Medical Chief he was next time I deemed appropriate.

"Do you know why you became Captain?"

He looked at me blankly for a moment before slowly shaking his head. "I can honestly say I have no idea. I thought maybe because we defeated Nero...?"

"Who do you think would have prompted both Captain Pike and the Federation?"

He looked at me in disbelief, his blue eyes holding my gaze with ease. "He never wanted to be Captain, Jim. He's been tracking towards becoming a Science Officer his entire time at Starfleet. If he didn't think you fit the job, he wouldn't have recommended you for it."

I took the break in conversation as a good time to stand up and make my way over to Dr. McCoy where he leaned against the wall.

"Uhura, I had to explain to you - " a sickly clang cut him off and a few yells and grunts. We both stood up, although, with an expletive or two, the doctor had to snap at Jim not to move a muscle if he wanted to heal properly, eliciting a few childish whines from the other. I walked towards where Rand and Hawkins were being held.

"What happened?" I whispered to them, although a man walking under the light ahead of us answered my question.

The man, obviously Niburan because of his physical traits, held over his shoulder a dead Ensign Joseph. He looked badly burned, but I couldn't tell cause of death from this distance.

"This is what happens to those who try to escape!" the Niburan exclaimed in his own language, swinging the body into the sharp rock wall beside him, causing the skull to be cracked open in a sickening display.

I heard a gag behind me, and I turned to see the Captain vomiting again. I brought my hand to my heart in concern, but McCoy was already aiding him. When I turned back to look outside our cell, my eyes locked with the black ones of the Niburan before me. His eyes wouldn't leave mine until he seemed to hear something coming from down the corridor.

"Cuse, Zesthu."

Soon, Queen.

I swallowed.

Thanks for waiting, all! More to come out soon.

Plus - if you tell me what you want, I may take some things into consideration, so keep that in mind. :)