Hey, everyone!
Woot Woot, chapter 9! I think I may actually finish this one!
Disclaimer: Even though I wish every night that, come Christmas Morning, I will wake up to Spock in a bright blue bow, I know that will never happen - I do not own these characters. However, I do own Niburan and it's inhabitants, the Joremur, Zesthu, Abrigon, Rhododensalvus, and all that other stuff. So no stealing, please!
I watched the rise and fall of Jim's chest as I sat beside McCoy, his arm around my shoulders in a friendly, paternal manner.
"He doesn't have long, Uhura," he told me with a concerned frown. I looked back up at him, concern and hesitant belief evident in my expression. "Broken ribs, a possible concussion, the chance of a punctured lung, the risk of infection and illness - all of these things are exactly pointing in the right direction."
"How long?"
A groan interrupted us, and I looked over to see Jim roll in his sleep. I assumed he must have hurt himself while doing so. I stood up, carefully making my way over to him, not wanting to wake him up. In his dreams he can be anywhere else in the galaxy - no pain, no hunger, no thirst, no darkness...
- - -
The doors before me slipped open smoothly, allowing me passage into the engineering room where Scotty and Sulu waited for me. My shoes made a clapping sound on the white floor tile, interrupting the stark silence of the room. By the expressions on their faces, I judged that they were still in disbelief that we were about to beam down.
"Do you have the coordinates set?" I asked the Chief Engineer, standing up onto the transporter pad that Sulu was already on. I situated myself on one of the white circles, taking out my phaser so as to be ready for whatever we may face upon beaming down.
"Affirmative, Mr. Spock."
"I would very much appreciate it if you stay prepared for our return."
He nodded. "Of course, Commander," he said, fiddling with the control panel for a moment. I set my phaser to stun.
"Energize." I heard him say as our bodies started to dematerialize. I felt myself come back together on the planet surface. It took me a second to adjust my eyes to the minimal lighting.
Once satisfied that there was no one there, I turned to Sulu. We were exactly two floors above where Uhura was at that moment. "Do you see anything?" I whispered.
He just shook his head.
I started searching. A few yards away was the government building in all of its glory. The lighting from inside cast light on the ground near us. Moving carefully, we avoiding them while looking for a way underneath the ground.
After a few more minutes I pulled out my communicator. "Spock to Enterprise. Chekov, we need a way in," I whispered into it.
I heard the sound of fingers clicking keys. A shadow passed by our feet and we hurried to cover ourselves - it was a false alarm, however - a guard was merely rolling up the sun drapes.
"Cover yerselves - I'll see vat I kin do, keptin."
- - -
I roll over onto my side. The pain of it so severe my head swims and my breaths come in gasps and wheezes.
As much as I like to act it, I'm no idiot - I know that something is terribly wrong, I know that I can die here. But complaining about how much pain I'm in won't help at all. If anything, it would just upset her more. And the pain... it's not that bad - I'm not dead yet, am I?
I glanced at them - Bones' arm was around her, comforting her about something. I wanted to be the one to do that, and the alien who made that not possible is going to get a beating next time I see him.
My violent turn of thoughts was stopped when her eyes fell to the floor, welling up with water. My heart lurched. She would never let them escape, though. She was always so professional, always so calm, strong - she had too much dignity. Uhura would understand why I can't show the pain - it's the same reason she can't shed her tears.
As I watched as he frowned, whispering to her gently, it occurred to me that I didn't want to know what it was that made her so upset. I tried to turn back over to face the wall, but a groan escaped me at the pain that swarmed me.
They stopped talking.
I felt like I was a kid again, showing up to class after I did something stupid like driving a corvette off a cliff. All my classmates would gossip in hushed, hasty words about what had occurred the day before and would suddenly stop talking when I came near them.
My heart lurched again, bitter tasting fear leaving a metallic taste in my mouth.
A shadow fell over me. "Are you okay?" the warm voice asked me.
"Fine," I lied, trying to smile up at her. The expression was distorted, I knew, but so was hers.
Instead of calling me out on my lie, though, she just asked me, "Do you need any help?"
I stubbornly shook my head. She understood, though, like I knew she would.
She was like me.
"You know, how about we lean against the wall together. You probably don't need my help, but it would make me feel better."
"Well, I guess. If it makes you feel better. You know how I like making people feel good," I said with a smirk and she laughed.
Every cloud has a silver lining - I guess, because of my injuries, Uhura's laughing at my jokes instead of slapping me.
I didn't want to read too far into it, though.
Bones appeared above her shoulder as she was helping me move against the wall. "Someone is coming." his words caused tingling sensation down my spine, but ignored it.
We waited a moment, but soon resumed when we heard nothing. They each took an arm and helped me sit against the wall.
"There we are," she said with a smile, moving to stand in front of me. I swore I could see something over her shoulder, though - a tall something...
"Uhura, watch out!" I exclaimed, using Bones' arm to pull myself up with a strength that I later attributed to adrenaline.
I launched myself at one of the men, punching and kicking as hard as my injuries would allow me too. I heard the other fall to the ground beside me, and I knew that Bones was the one responsible, due to his excited curses.
I yelped when the Niburan hit my ribs, though a small part of me was happy that I coughed blood all over our captor. Seemingly effortlessly, he flung me off of him.
The last thing I could here before I passed out was Uhura calling my name, concern and fear lacing her voice.
Where's that pointy-eared bastard when you needed him?
- - -
"Enterprise to Commander Spock."
"This is Spock," I whispered into the communicator.
"I was able to hack into their database and find blueprints for the government building. I have sent them to your PADD."
I felt my eyes roll, an action I inherited from all the time I've spent with Nyota. "I do not have my PADD," I reminded him hastily.
Chekov hesitated. "Alright... Well, the government building was built many years ago, you see. So, before they added their turbolift, they used stairs. These stairs have been neglected over the years, so you will be able to use them," he told me. I nodded, remembering reading about the renovation of the building.
"Are there security cameras?" Sulu asked over my shoulder.
"Yes. I was able to hack into those, too. Strangely enough, though, there is no one inside beside the two guards situated outside of the Joremur's quarters, but you won't need to pass by that. I will trick the cameras, just in case, but you shouldn't need to worry. The stairs should be on the left on the end of the hallway, the only door near the glass wall Northern glass wall."
"Thank you, Ensign Chekov. Spock out," I said into the communicator.
"Good luck, Commander. Chekov out."
I looked at the communicator in confusion before closing it.
"I don't understand the need to say that - there is no such thing as luck - only chance affected by probability," I said, turning to Sulu. He merely shrugged, turning his attention to the building towering over us.
"So we just walk right in?" he asked me.
"It appears so," I responded, tucking my communicator in my pocket and holding my phaser at the ready.
We cautiously walked toward the building, watching and listening for any changes surrounding us. We finally made it to the door and slowly entered.
Chekov was correct - the place appeared to be deserted.
Although this was the case, we were still cautious on our way to the door at the end of the hall - walking carefully, creeping behind chairs, listening for footsteps until we reached the door. I opened it, observing the traditional doorknob for a moment before stepping into the stairwell.
It was obviously old and out of date - the white walls were covered in dust and cobwebs from nonuse. We descended the stairs, me pointing my phaser ahead and Sulu pointing his phaser behind us until we reached the basement two floors down.
"Set phaser to stun," I whispered to him, my heart rate increasing by my hip. I took a deep, calming breath before quickly throwing the door open and slipping the both of us inside.
The lighting was dim, almost black. We appeared to be in a cave-like environment judging by the walls and ceiling and the moist air.
As we approached the left turn, we pressed our backs against the wall, counting down from three before looking around the corner, our phasers out. Cells lined the walls.
"Commander Spock, Sulu!" Exclaimed an Ensign quietly, who was immediately shushed.
I turned to Sulu. "Look for keys - this isn't everyone."
Nyota wasn't here.
He nodded, immediately scanning the walls while I turned the next corner, trying to listen for any signs of life.
"I've never been so happy to see you, you bloody elf!" I heard a gruff voice exclaim in a whisper.
"Doctor McCoy, is that you?"
Janice Rand appeared at the bars to my right, along with Hawkins. I heard the scuffing of feet and I knew that Sulu must have released the others. As I thought this, he rounded the corner, holding up the keys.
"Yeah," he called over, though I couldn't see him.
"Jim is unconscious, and has been since they took Nyota," Yeoman Rand told me as Sulu unlocked her cell.
"Two of them came in, fought with us, and took Nyota once we were disposed of," McCoy said, appearing at the bars. He had a black eye and his arm was bleeding, "Then all of the other guards followed them."
I turned to Sulu as he started unlocking the next cell. "It is your duty to make sure all of these crewmen get beamed up safely. Be sure that the Captain is in Nurse Chapel's care immediately. I will go find Nyota," I told him.
I started to walk down the hall, but Dr McCoy grabbed my arm, "I refuse to let you go on a suicide mission - not like I care about you, but if you go alone there's no chance Uhura will survive."
"Are you saying I cannot save her?"
"I'm saying you're going to need help," he said, looking me straight in the eyes. I nodded, not wanting to waste time arguing about it.
Sulu handed McCoy his phaser before walking into the cell with Lieutenant Hawkins to get the Captain.
"Good luck," Yeoman Rand said to us before turning to catch up with the others. As she walked away, I turned to McCoy.
"There is no such thing as luck," I insisted.
"Maybe not, but I wouldn't mind some.
- - -
The bindings were tight around my wrists and ankles, and growing ever tighter the more I fought against them. They would surely leave marks if I got out of here. To my right, behind the few Niburan's in the room, was a table, stretching along the wall. On that table I could see the offending chemical - as it burned, it gave off a pungent smell that made my eyes water. It had a milky color to it and looked to be the consistency of wax when one of the men began to stir it. I swallowed out of fear.
They spoke to each other in their native tongue, and I listened raptly, learning as I did so.
I was to be a pawn in their corrupt politics. Although they hated humans, they knew that I was their only hope. They would try to trick the Federation, and I would be their puppet.
I learned that many rulers in their history had done this same thing in order to rule - these people included the Joremur. Some leaders in history have been so cruel as to blind their children as babies so royalty would stay in the family. Niburan's regained their sight over time, however. They didn't care if I was blinded or in pain. In fact, they spoke of the pain I was about to forego in excitedly hushed tones.
They would tape each torturing of the crew and, through a traitor in the Joremur's house, would deliver it to him to broadcast. They already started with Jim.
I felt tears sting at my eyes that weren't induced by the putrid smell and tried to hold them back, not wanting them to feel any victory in making the human woman cry. Spock wasn't coming to save me, Jim and the rest of the crew would die down here on a classic video camera.
I soon realized that this was to be ritualistic when one of the men picked up a kind of knife. I had never seen anything like it before - there were two blades, the metal a blue-ish white color. When he pressed it to my skin it burned like fire, causing me to scream out in pain. He did not pierce the skin, merely held it there as another of the men picked up a ladle of somekind and dipped it into the boiling pot. The others watched fixedly, the room finally silenced. I couldn't hold back a small whimper, causing some to chuckle and others to smirk. I closed my eyes.
"Neic, Fausihila."
No, please don't.
I heard someone scream and soon realized that it wasn't me. There was no pain.
My eyes snapped open just as one of the Niburans fell to the floor, stunned. I had never felt more relief in my life when I saw Spock and McCoy rush through the door. I fought against my bindings, trying to free myself as they fought with the unsuspected Niburans.
It was chaos as I looked on, not noticing the Niburan coming to me with the ladle that had been dropped to the floor, now holding a fresh scoop of the boiling liquid.
"No!" I heard myself shout before Spock got a hold of him. I screamed, a few small drops of the chemical falling on my stomach. It burned horribly and I smelled burning flesh. They couldn't help me, though, and I understood that. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw McCoy stab one of them with the five-pronged tool that had been hanging on the wall, rendering him helpless before shooting him, as well.
My eyes connected with Spock's as he reached for the tub of wax. His emotions were overcoming him, his eyes seemed ignited with rage. I had never seen him so wild.
He visibly calmed, his shoulders relaxing as he set the wax back down. I saw McCoy look for keys as Spock stood by my side, brushing tendrils of wild hair out of my face. No words were spoken.
"Found 'em," I heard McCoy say, walking over with the bronze keys and started to unlock my bindings. Spock pulled out his communicator, paging Enterprise.
"Was everyone beamed aboard safely?" "Yes, sir, those who have not lost their lives," I heard Chekov's voice say. I thought back to the Ensign who had been battered before my eyes.
"Sir, the chief tried contacting the vessel - "
"We will speak of that later. Stand by, Enterprise. Spock out," he said, closing the communicator hastily.
I took his hand and he helped me stand, my legs a little wobbly, before he led us out of our prison.
"We were under the government building all this time?" I asked him as we climbed the stairs.
"Yes. Do you remember how you arrived, Doctor?"
"Yeah. We were taken by car to a cave West of here. It must have connected underground," he told us. That would make sense, seeing as Niburan history speaks of underground cities. I told him so, and he nodded.
"The underground was vast, I could see how that would be possible."
Once safely outside, Spock pulled out his communicator once more. "Spock to Enterprise."
"This is Enterprise. Mr Spock, the Chief - "
"I will take whatever punishment is dealt to me, beam us aboard," he said calmly. My eyes connected with his as we dematerialized, the light from the sunrise lighting up the Government building much the way it did when we first arrived. It was hard to believe something so hateful could be so beautiful.
Gee, that was the longest chapter I've ever written! R&R, folks!