It has been one month and three weeks since Cadet James T. Kirk went missing.
Spock's hearing had recovered.
"Our refreshments replenty themselves after one of them has been taken," Carcho, the leader of a civilization that had recently achieved Warp drive,explained gesturing over toward the table that had rows and rows of beverage and healthy snacks earning a raised eyebrow from the Vulcan and a delighted expression on Pike's face. McCoy, however, appeared to be uneasy. "Would you require some water, Doctor McCoy?"
"No, thank you," Bones shook his head.
"I would, though." Pike said.
Carcho took a bottle of water from the shelf.
Something does not feel right, McCoy thought.
Even after serving under a new captain (who was technically his first) and serving alongside him on a few missions, it still felt . . . odd. Usually, by now, they would be either captured and the Enterprise and her crew of one thousand would be threatened sending her tumbling down through the orbit down to the planet side. Every time the Enterprise would be saved, and they would be out of harms way. But, under Pike's captaincy, nothing eventful happened. Nothing like being captured. Though McCoy would be plagued by 'odd feelings' about people. Ones McCoy didn't have before going into space.
McCoy dubbed it 'The Kirk Curse'.
"No. . ." The voice was hoarse and familiar. "I will not."
Spock looked over his shoulder with an eyebrow raised to see no one there.
Odd, Spock thought turning his head away.
"Mr Spock," Carcho said. "What is your favorite indulgent?"
"Vulcan fruit," Spock said. "And Plomeek soup."
"Ah, a vegetarian." Carcho said.
"Vulcan fruit is quite rare to find outside of New Vulcan," Spock mentioned. "And I would find it hard to believe you can replicate that which you have no record of."
"We recreate our food through memories," Carcho said. "And then we make it solid again."
McCoy eyed Carcho.
"So you can bring food to life by memories?" McCoy asked.
"Yes," Carcho said. "We have the crystalline ball that sends the data to our food reproduction machine."
The room they were in was apparently the 'show-off' one.
"Crystalline?" Pike said, lowering the bottle with a raised eyebrow.
"We have had it for two centuries and it aided in the restoration of our culture," Corcho said, with a fellow of his kind approaching appearing to be deeply worried and concerned. This was his personal advisor Karn who whispered into his ear. A smile grew on Corcho's face then he dismissed his advisor. "The room is prepared for this hour."
"All you must do is place your hands on the crystal." Karn said.
Spock placed his long bony fingers on the crystalline object.
"Then think about the fruit." Karn instructed.
For McCoy, the crystalline ball was attached to a strange machine that had several attachments that lead to a plate on what was a table. The room was decorated in pictures of the seasons featuring the strange antenna themed people with black fur having fun in them. There was something off about these 'Tarvians' that claimed to be peaceful. From all the empty halls, the seemingly redecorated suit of knight-like armor, the silver transparent cases with models in the shape of what was not inside the cases that once had held weapons replaced by artifacts, and it was so damn obvious they were pretending. Pike seemed to be oblivious to it all.
They had no reason to interfere . . .Yet.
Damn it, Jim, McCoy thought, You are making me think like you.
Spock closed his eyes and he brought the memory of eating a Vulcan apple. Juicy, sweet, tender, crunchy, and delicious. A lot like the Earth apple but it had a distinctive difference inside the core that were in the shape of triangles. Green apples with brown tips and green leaves. Spock heard a unfamiliar melody. His eyes opened to see a Vulcan apple laying on a tray. Spock reached his arm out toward the apple. There was a sudden pain in his stomach. Spock's hand went to the side of the tray and his eyes briefly closed. He grasped at his stomach with a sharp gasp.
"Spock," Pike came to his side. "What is wrong?"
"I feel a sudden pain in my stomach," Spock said. "As though I have been . . ." He cleared his throat. "Punched."
Pike's eyes darted over toward Karn.
"What kind of systems are you running inside this room?" Pike asked.
"Heating, oxygen, gravitational pull, self-destructive weapons, a laser planet canon that feeds off suns, a array of trees, planet side waste cleaners," Karn listed as Pike stood up narrowing his eyes at the Tarvian. "Fifty thousand clones ready to gear up if one dares to steal our jewel, and we plan to overtake whatever forces are in our way for galaxy domination-" He stopped mid-sentence realizing what he had just let out. "Shit."
"I must speak with Corcho, immediately." Pike said.
Karn took out a small device pressing a red button.
"That you will not." Karn said.
Ten guards appeared from out of the doors.
"I missed this," McCoy sarcastically said. "I was wondering when this would happen."
I knew it IknewitIknewitIknewitIknewitIknewit! I knew it would happen, McCoy thought.
"Never!" McCoy looked over at the sound of Jim's voice.
McCoy caught the Vulcan unexpectedly falling to his side.
"Spock, are you okay?" McCoy asked.
"I . . do not know." Spock replied, rubbing the side of his cheek.
"Hand over your communicators," Karn said. "You are outnumbered."
"Captain," Spock said. "I believe I understand what is wrong with me."
"What is it?" Pike looked over.
"I am feeling someone elses pain." Spock said.
"Who's pain?" Pike asked.
"It is-"
"JIM!" McCoy shouted, cutting Spock off.
Spock's head turned in the direction where the sound had come from. The bright room had transformed into a dark and cold one. Spock nearly gasped but he controlled himself from doing so. Gasping is illogical. Spock turned on the tricorder aiming in the direction he was staring at. McCoy went over to the figure then placed his hands on the side of the neck.
"Doctor McCoy, the cadet cannot be here," Pike said. "They must be pulling your leg."
McCoy's face turned white then he turned his head in the direction of Spock.
"Tell me I am loosing my mind, Spock." McCoy said.
"Negative," Spock said. "We have a emphatic bond with the cadet," McCoy looked over to the side of the man's left ear where he could see a swollen ear that had a infection, his hair had become ragged and unkept. "He may be here, but he is not. It is rare for Vulcans to form emphatic bonds with humans let alone. . . two."
"I have heard of that," Pike said. "The one where you are thinking of someone and it brings them there, right to them, for just a minute, and then they vanish into thin air back where they were."
"That is correct," Spock said, as McCoy lifted the man's head up toward him. "We are only capable of seeing him due to his current weakened state."
"Damn it, I should have said no." McCoy placed a hypo against the man's neck.
McCoy looked over to see Kirk's hands were bound.
"Are you recording this for me to see when we return." Pike said.
"Affirmative." Spock said.
"Can it record what he is saying?" pike asked.
"Affirmative." Spock said.
A figure made the figure hurl forwards.
"Poster boy." The unusual alien man said with much bitterness to it then left the room.
Kirk's eyes opened to a nearly dark room. He had cataract in his left eye. That should occur on older people not young men. His shoulders loosened. His shoulders, dear god, they hurt. He could feel oddly wide awake then he had before. He looked over to see there a Klingon and a Romulan, Swarol (The Klingon) and T'Vell (The Romulan) both of whom were working together with Kirk for a specific mission. He could feel a hand steady him making him straight.
Star Fleet had claimed he was doing good. By stranding him on a Romulan vessel full of Nero's ex-crewmates. The pain he suffered at their hands was cruel, his brain was sizzled at least five times, and he was brought back out of it. Jim, though, was the one who brought the young man back from the brink of death. Kept telling him to hold on. He claimed there was a nearby planet that he could rest but didn't have the adequate medical treatment for him but it would do.
Thank god he escaped out of a escape pod.
And that's when he came across T'Vell and Swarol, agents working to acquire a starship that was stolen from them. They were a unusual pair. T'Vell claimed her clavicle was broken by Swarol after they consummated their marriage. They were quite a odd couple who had conflicting opinions and they really, really, were wild lovers. Shared the same quarters. Claimed to have three children being raised by relatives. Too bad they didn't have any degree in medical surgery. He wore a hood over his head.
Completely vanishing off the radar of Star Fleet.
Kirk had thought of contacting his friends.
But.
They could come back and try to finish off what they had started.
For the first time in both their lives, both Kirks were afraid for their lives and were unsure to trust. Jim insisted that Spock Prime not be brought into this. Kirk agreed on that point. And then,while he was helping the unusual love pair, they were captured by Romulans and a pair of humans. Claiming to be part of Star Fleet Intelligence. Equivalent to the 20th century CIA.
"T'V-Vell." Kirk called.
T'Vell stirred.
Kirk cleared his hoarse throat, and spoke in Klingonese fluently.
"What the hell?" McCoy said. "He doesn't know how to speak Klingon!"
T'Vell's eyes opened.
"Mr Kirk?" T'Vell said. "Oh my god. . . they. . . they disgraced you."
"I'll be fine," Kirk had his smirk. "Let's get your mate unbound though." He fell forwards landing on his side. "Fuck it."
"You did not have to lie for us, Mr Kirk," T'Vell said. "You could have easily come back to your federation."
"I don't know how I am going back and end up being killed in secret," Kirk said. "Sometimes I wish I never was born."
"Don't you say that!" T'Vell said.
"T'Vell, you are a Romulan, you never had to deal with a vengeful Romulan who took your father away and ended up taking away your class mates," Kirk said. "You have everyone." Kirk moved his binds. "Now, I have to. . ." He moved his binds from side to side wiggling his fingers out of the tight grip. "Get my hands out and your Klingon husband out of here."
"We are not leaving without our ship." T'Vell said.
"You are more obsessed with your ship than the Titantic's captain!" Kirk said.
"That is because she is the first." T'Vell said, proudly.
Kirk sighed then he broke apart the binds in half.
"Okay, need some help with your binds?" Kirk asked.
"No, as I have considerably less bondage then you." T'Vell said.
"For a Romulan, you are honest like a Vulcan." Kirk said, with a small smile as the side of his face was in pain.
"We share a common ancestry." T'Vell said.
Kirk worked his way on the binds wrapped around the Klingon's ankles.
"I sure hope they don't go after you." Kirk said.
"It wouldn't be logical to go after us, Mr Kirk." T'Vell said.
"Please, call me Jim." Kirk said.
Kirk came down to his knee hearing a sharp sound.
"Oh god, not this again." Kirk said.
T'Vell ripped her binds off.
"Mr Kirk?" T'Vell towered over him. "Are you all right?" She placed a hand on the side of his head then she jerked it back as the feeling of electricity coursed through her. Her eyes had widened. "I am so sorry."
"Get him and go!" Kirk said, his head turned toward her.
Spock and McCoy could now clearly see the Romulan who lacked a right ear and she had Romulan characteristics with the V shaped part on the forehead and curly red hair. She helped up the Klingon as Kirk was knelt over with one hand covering his disfigured ear. She went into the darkness quickly leaving the man's shape behind. Kirk's other hand clenched around the floor as he supported himself up against the floor. He had shallow breaths feeling the pain in his ear worsen. He used the wall as his guide and brought himself forward. His curled fist around the item in his ear tightened. His grip became tight.
"If Bones were here, he would say no," Kirk said. "Likely take my hearing away."
"IT WOULD!" McCoy shouted.
"Screw my hearing," Kirk said. "I have a brain to take care of."
Kirk ripped the item out of his hear with a scream dropping it to the floor. Kirk walked forward feeling dizzy and he closed his eyes trailing down the hall that which he was kept in. It was a 'monster haven' for a part of a starship that was heading somewhere. Kirk came to a control panel then he accessed the captain's log with a few cheats he had learned over the past month being on the run from Star Fleet. He trembled, leaning forward, in pain. He had listened to the log. This was a starship of monsters heading to Planet Earth. They thought leaving him and his friends at the dead end would suffice as they wouldn't do a thing. Well, they were wrong.
"Idiots," Kirk said. "Heading to Earth with these beings? They are mad. Faced them once: so long ago."
Spock reached his hand out toward Kirk toward his shoulder.
"Who's there?" Kirk asked, looking over in the direction of Spock.
There was no reply.
"I hear him!" Came a female voice. "Let's take them down."
Kirk sighed.
"Gotta face your demons, kid," Kirk said. "We all do." He turned away from the control console. He grabbed a rogue phaser then aimed it in the direction of the thugs. "I am not afraid to use this."
"Do it." The second agent said.
B-blast.
Kirk pressed the trigger.
And then the gun lost the fuel it needed.
"Back down, cadet!" The agent said. "You shouldn't be alive."
"Why?" The agent asked.
"Because you are that poster boy," The agent said. "And we want war."
"Not on my watch," Kirk said. "How many rounds do you got left in that phaser?"
"Five." The agent said.
"How about we do this man to man without weapons?" Kirk offered.
The agent dropped the phaser then he lunged at Kirk. Kirk used defensive blows at first then he graduated to offensive blows, doing a chop on the man's back. He sent a punch right at the second agent's face knocking her down to the floor. Kirk turned around only to be knocked forward down to the floor back first where a ringing came screeching into his ear. He was determined on not dying. He wanted to prove something. That he could be anyone he put himself to be. The agent aimed the phaser at Kirk's face.
"Prepare to die." The first agent said.
"I don't believe in no-win scenarios." Kirk said.
How we handle life is how we handle death and just as important, Jim recalled what he once said in his defense for cheating on the Kobyashi Maru. Kirk turned over missing the blast. Kirk got up in the speed of light then he applied the Vulcan nerve pinch. He ran down the hall. After his life being threatened a couple of times and being beaten, he was still walking with a limp. Kirk ran down the hall where he felt a pain in his ribs.
Broken rib, Kirk guessed.
Actually, that is correct, Jim toned in.
The view sunk back to reveal the ready room with Pike appearing to be pissed off staring at the screen demanding for answers.
"I want answers as to why no one knew except, only except, for Star Fleet intelligence as to Cadet Kirk's where abouts," Pike said. "And as you have been named one of the men for recruiting a cadet on a suicide mission, with evidence and a video," This was a live video trial as he held up a datacard. "I am not the one to judge what happens but what can I say is: that is not what being admiral or being a officer is about. He's a kid. A whole life ahead of him! And you just shook his trust in Star Fleet, Mr Marcus."
"Thank you, Captain Pike," Admiral Streeter said. "We have much to question Admiral Marcus a about." Admiral Streeter's hand had balled up into a fist. "We will find him and request for this man on the run, after stopping a starship full of contagious aliens from infecting a large percentage of Earth inhabitants with a virus, to attend the end of the trial. It will take some time."
"Mr Streeter."
"Yes?"
"I would like you to relay a personal message to the cadet from a friend of mine."
"And what would that be?"
"How the hell did you learn Klingonese?
Streeter nodded.
"That I will." Streeter said.