Chapter 3

Jim woke up to a shiver wracking his body but a small heat source engulfing him. His eyes rolled open and looked around to nothing but different hues of white and blue mixing into the shadows. Orange, Red and yellows flickered over the blues. A figure moved into his blurred vision and a cold hand touched his forehead. He tried to move away but found his limbs only wished to flop lifelessly beneath the thin blanket wrapped around him. Jim groaned at the dull ache of exhaustion coursing through his muscles. "Still yourself, Captain. You must relax or you're condition will deteriorate even further."

"Was… was goin'on?" Jim slurred his vision beginning to clear so that he could see the carved ice cave ceiling above him. The cold hand disappeared into the skin poncho and Jim realized that it was a woman standing over him. Black hair, pale skin and brown eyes.

"You broke through part of our tunnels and followed one of the children," She said softly, pulling the blanket up to his chin. "You fell unconscious about 4 hours ago and are freezing to death. We're waiting for your crew to arrive."

"Why is—that?" He inhaled sharply, ice stabbing his chest. "I should… go find them…"

She pushed him back to the cot, not taking much effort as he was so weak. "No. You must rest and stay near the fire. We do not succumb to the cold so easily so we are rather at a loss as to how we can help you other than allow you to rest and stay near the fire. We need the help of your ship. Not only for you but for the people trapped here."

"What… why are you o-out here?"

"We've been banished from the main city because we didn't want to pursue the radiation energy source," She replied. "I was a head researcher and produced sufficient evidence that they burned."

"Ho-how man-many?" Jim asked, suppressing a shiver. The woman moved from his vision and Jim's eyes widened at the mass of people in the same style poncho as her scattered around the cave.

"About 200 people. They all worked in the laboratories and all knew what the radiation was doing to innocent people," She replied. "You should rest. A storm will delay your team and you need to save your energy."

"I—need to get – in contact with them…" Jim stuttered, the cold traveling deeper. "My com. The thing that—that beeps."

She nodded and came back with the small device which was ringing continuously. "We have been unable to stop it."

Jim reached out and shakily took the advice, his arm falling to his chest as he heaved at the effort of lifting. He flicked it open with some effort and gulped against the dryness in his throat. "Kir-kirk he—"

"Godd-amn you, Kirk!" Uhura snarled at him, the transmission coming through staticy and missing words. "You have any i-- how long I have been-- to get a hold of you!? You just ran-- don't even bother replying! Your-- delirious you know that?! So it's impossible for you-- slightly coherent and decide what is-- best interest!"

"Perhaps we should have answered the com earlier," The women said. Jim looked at her tiredly realizing her face was still blurred to him.

"She'd st-still be angry at m--me," Jim murmured. He lifted the com shakily and heaved an even shakier breath. "Uhura. There's a t-team coming for m-me?"

"Yes. --McCoy hypos-- to death!" There was a staticy breath and the calm collected Uhura came through. "—Should be there—two hours."

The com fell to his chest as his arm gave out, his consciousness spiraling out of his grasp. The com was slipped from his grasp and the blurred faced woman's voice spoke softly to the staicy Uhura's before Jim disappeared into the depths of his exhaustion.

"There are tunnels around here somewhere!" McCoy yelled over the blizzard. He had his com pressed to his ear as Uhura explained what she had been told by the woman, Mystral, who was currently taking care of Jim. "Jim's in one of them with people taking care of him! Uhura says to be careful because some of the cave tunnels are weak!"

Spock suddenly stopped as his foot sunk deep in the snow and a crack echoed around his foot. Sulu dove forward grabbing hold of Spock's wrist as his footing gave way and he fell into the cave below. McCoy dropped his com and grabbed Sulu's other hand, attempting to gain purchase on slippery ground. "Goddamn it."

Sulu's foot slid over the edge. Spock looked at him. "Let go."

"Sorry sir," Sulu ground out.

"I'd let go but I like Sulu and contrary to belief I like our stupid logic vs human arguments," McCoy growled. "Plus I think Jim likes having you around."

"It is illogical. If we all are unable to find the Captain-"

"Spock. Shut up," McCoy snapped tightening his grip on Sulu as his balance was thrown off. "Damn it."

"Doctor," Sulu's feet were out from under him and McCoy was sliding along the snow penguin style, his hands still grasped around Sulu.

"Damn it!" McCoy's yell echoed around them as they descended into the darkness of the cavern.

"I've lost their signal entirely," The ensign reported.

"We can't boost it or anything?" Uhura asked hopefully.

"The storm is becoming too powverful and blocking out ewery thing," Chekov said sadly. Scotty nodded.

"They're on their own for the time being,"

928

So.... I realized that tomorrow is going to be insanely busy to I'll update today, Friday, INSTEAD! :D So.... I won't update until Monday. Review as always!