Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek.

AT: As a first time fan-fiction writer here, your comments have been so encouraging. Thank you! Jim/Carol fans, stay tuned for Chapter 8, and thanks for being patient as I inch their relationship closer. Thanks to DLB48 for being a beta-reader extraordinaire, and for stars90 and Arijone for stepping up to assist me with tech questions!

Chapter 7

It was either the worst hangover he'd ever had or something he didn't want to know about but was sure to be informed of by Bones, whose face was sideways. Why is Bones' face sideways?

Bones was breathing like he was running from the natives from Nibiru again. And Bones wasn't into running.

Bones was also looking at him as though Jim had grown two heads and maybe a tail.

Bones was slumped on the floor and holding a hypo in his hand. He looks exhausted.

Jim then realized he was on the floor, too, stomach down and head turned and pressed forcefully and painfully on its left side. Oh, that's why Bones is sideways. Huh.

His eyes scanned the floor, which was all he could see. A few biobeds were broken, blankets spilled over. Actually, the general area of the floor was consumed by other broken things- screens, medical equipment, windows, and lights. Curtains draped as they hung haphazardly off their poles. Hypos were scattered. Someone's shirt, which was torn.

He realized he was on the floor because someone was on top of him. Yeah, like, more than one person. Like, at least three. One had to be Spock. It was his hand that on his neck- hurting it even now. He could tell. Spock's hand had been on Jim's neck before. It's kinda hard to forget the hand of the person who tried to kill you.

The other people, who knew who they were? And, honestly, who cared? It was getting old, lying here. Jim tried moving his hands which were behind his back and under people. They wouldn't budge. Something cold encircled them both. Cuffs.

Why am I cuffed? The question he asked himself caused his breath to hitch.

The last thing he remembered clearly was sitting in the command chair and eating ice and being hungry and tired and about to make a speech about resigning.

The next thing he remembered, sort of, was talking to Admiral Cartwright about the threat Kodos the Executioner made on the Tarsus 9.

After that, the world went crazy.

Or, maybe he had gone crazy.

Were they going to get off him? Granted, it had been only seconds since the fog lifted from his mind, but Jim felt he'd been away from his crew for hours.

Something must be going horrendously and horribly wrong.

"Jim?"

It was Bones, maintaining the severest look of fear Jim had ever seen on anyone. Jim groaned, his ribs about crushed from the weight.

"Umgh?" After he said, whatever he said, Spock removed his hand from Jim's neck.

"Are you going to to try to kill us again?"

"Uh uh."

He expected someone to speak nicely to him, or at least remove themselves from his body. But neither of those things happened.

"Jim?"

"Um... Bones?" Being on the floor like this really, really sucks.

"You destroyed my room."

"If it helps, I don't remember." He groaned, really loud this time. Get off me. I can't breathe.

"No, that doesn't help." Bones discarded his meanness for worry. "Get off him! He doesn't have the same strength anymore!"

"Uhura, if you get off first, the rest of us will follow."

Uhura's on my back? This is interesting.

"I can't because Sulu's arms are entangled with my legs!'

This is really interesting.

"Get off of me!" Uhura doesn't sound too happy.

"I can't until you do." Sulu was just as trite.

Jim rolled his eyes. While he can't breathe. And while Bones is dragging people off his back.

"Why am I on this floor like a drakoulias squashed by a hengrauggi? You know, I've seen that before. I think I'm the only one in the universe who's seen that before. I know what it could feel like." He huffed. "It feels like this."

"I am very sorry, Captain."

Finally. Someone apologizes, and it's Spock, for crying out loud.

It finally gets lighter but he still can't move.

"Jim, I'm going to have Sulu release your hands," said Bones. "Do not move, understand? I think we damaged your ribs when we tackled you."

"Ya think?" Jim winced. His arms felt broken. Oh dear, God, please let them not be broken. They fell limp to the floor. "Are they broken? My arms? They feel it."

"Jim?"

"Yeah, Bones."

"They're strained. Not broken. But no worries. I'm sure in ten minutes you'll feel like your delusional, super-strength self again."

"I take it things aren't going well." My raspy voice has got to go.

"Peachy. Now, Spock, very gently lay him down on the biobed."

"Which one, doctor? Jim has broken all of them."

"I...what?"

"You broke them, Captain," Sulu sighed.

Jim saw Bones now, as Spock turned him on his back, which was not so gentle like Bones had ordered him to do. But then Spock rolled up a blanket to cushion his neck. Ah. That was gentle. Stick with the gentle, Spock.

"What's going on, Spock?" Jim was quite startled to see Spock's face with what looked like the start of a very nice bruise. I have a feeling that's there because of me.

"You have been drugged with a chemical akin to the Levodian Flu of the Klingons. At this stage, you are no longer recognizing us, being tormented by your memories, and have extraordinary strength. As this drug continues to be absorbed into your system, it will lead to even more violent tendencies. What you did to sickbay was a result of you wanting to act upon your memories, not necessarily kill us, as Dr. McCoy implied."

"And I need to go see Kodos." Fabulous. Just great. I didn't mean to say that aloud.

Bones touched his ribs and began taping the damage.

"Where's your regenerator," Jim hissed out in pain.

"Someone tossed it to the floor," said Bones tightly.

Oh.

"Don't have time for that anyways," Bones continued. "Sorry, Jim."

"Yes, Captain," said Spock. "Kodos also will fire upon the Enterprise with his ships if you do not succeed. We have a prisoner by the name of Jared Memphis Vager in the brig. We have affirmed he drugged you."

Jim hardly heard Spock. He was thinking of his history being known by some of his crew, which is what he'd wished Bones to do. But now that it was done, his feelings about the unveiling were overwhelming. Bones showed them. They know. Jim could tell by the way Spock looked at him. His wariness and a hint of compassion. I'm glad they know. I can skip the "Hey, I'm the Tarsus ring leader" bit and work on the rest instead.

"Wait, Spock. Back up. Kodos will fire on the Enterprise?" How did the man acquire ships?

"Captain, he has incapacitated you in the course of his threat. Apparently to give you a situation where you cannot win."

"You mean, this drug is killing me."

"Yes. Within hours." Bones murmured.

"Hours?"

"Jim, I thought the drug would give you a day. It won't. I think you have just enough time to get to Revlair before..." Bones didn't finish.

"How am I supposed to face Kodos drugged? And why am I not drugged now?"

"Captain," Spock said, "you cannot face Kodos drugged. At this moment, you are experiencing a temporary reprieve from the drug effects. Thanks to both Dr. Marcus and Dr. McCoy, who considered usage of a different drug."

Dr. Marcus.

What's our weapons specialist doing helping Bones? Has she seen me like this?

The thought was alarming. I have no chance she'd say yes to a date now.

"She's not in here now, is she?" Jim whispered to Spock. He just realized he was without his shirts. Maybe that's my shirt, and my other shirt, over there on the floor. The torn shirts. Huh. Yes, I am only wearing an arm of one of my shirts. Interesting.

"Dr. Marcus is currently utilizing her skills to prepare the Enterprise." Spock didn't elaborate. Odd. Jim let it go. He had enough to think about.

"Where did Kodos say for me to meet him?"

"At a facility called The Green Gate."

Shit. Of course. "Kevin Riley is employed there."

"The member who is being held hostage."

"Yes."

"This ice planet is not uninhabitable?" Uhura's question, unwittingly, opened up another can of worms. One Jim couldn't process- yet.

"Unfortunately, there are innocent individuals residing within The Green Gate. I'll offer information on that in a moment," Jim stated. "Bones, will whatever you did for me now work again?"

"Maybe, but when this wears off and you go back to feeling the drug," Bones hesitated. "You'll be entering stage three soon."

"What's stage three like?" Jim asked. Bones wouldn't answer or look at him. Bones, if you're scared, it must be bad.

"Spock?" Jim turned on his frostiest glare. "Would someone please tell me what stage three is like?"

"Your memories will provoke you to violence and we will not be able to stop you unless we resort to hurting you."

"We'll have to work on a solution for that," Jim said with a frown. That's an understatement. "Meanwhile, Spock, you'll have to use this drug again when we reach Revlair. The Enterprise can't be near Kodos' ships sensors so we need to maintain a good distance away. My first visit to Revlair was in 2250, during an elite science investigation of the use of thoron fields."

"What?" Jim said at their confusion. "I was bored that year so I pretended to be a Russian doctoral graduate at seventeen. The second time I visited was just nine months ago. There are significantly fewer fields than there were in 2250, but Dr. Marcus and Chekov will be able to utilitize them if Kodos' ships come near the Enterprise."

"You wish us to bluff our way out of an attack and distort their sensors," Spock said, "using the thoron fields and duranium shadows."

"Precisely," said Jim. "It will buy us time. We have to use one of the shuttlecrafts to get to Revlair, and you'll need Uhura and Sulu to accompany Spock and myself. I want Dr. Marcus to act as captain while we are off ship."

Spock lifted an eyebrow.

"Wait, what?" Bones exclaimed. "First, you didn't mention me accompanying you to Revlair. Secondly, Dr. Marcus?"

"Bones," Jim sighed. "Spock. I trust her. She'll do a fine job. Especially since we have no idea of what we are dealing with weapons-wise on Kodos' ships. She also has command training."

"Captain, although your decision concerning Dr. Marcus is unorthodox, I concur her training is proficient to allow her to command the Enterprise. However, I do not think it wise for you to go to Revlair without the assistance of Dr. McCoy."

"Spock, I'm concerned about the well-being of all those onboard if Kodos fires on the Enterprise. We will land as close as we can to Kodos and if you have the hypo, Spock, then I'm sure we'll figure something out. Okay?" That, and I don't want him to see me die.

"Captain, it is unwise, and as your health has surely compromised you, I will not allow you to set foot upon Revlair without Dr. McCoy."

"Spock. I do not want Bones to go with me."

"Captain, you have no choice in the matter."

"No."

"It is no longer arguable. Dr. McCoy will accompany you."

"Spock."

"Captain."

"Dammit, Spock, I don't want him to see me at the end! Alright?" Jim shouted. "I can't do that to him. I don't want you to think you failed, Bones!"

Jim sniffed and lifted one very sore hand to shield his eyes so he could ignore whatever anyone was doing around him. Like, showing pity that he was crying. This was not going well. He was tired, in pain, and terribly emotionally compromised. So he did something he was quite good at doing- he ignored the problem and what he had just said. "Spock, will the phaser's stun put me down?"

"It did for 4.4 seconds," said Spock.

"Could it before the drug kicks in again? What about the nerve pinch?" Jim asked. I hate the nerve pinch.

"A combination of Uhura, Sulu and myself, the stun, and the nerve pinch enabled Dr. McCoy to administer the drug. If given the strongest sedative Dr. McCoy has before the other drug activates again, the probability that it could kill you is 25.6%. The probability that it will keep you unconscious for a duration of 8 hours is 24.5%.

"Jim, I don't recommend that option," stated Bones.

Jim looked warily at his friend. "Yeah, me neither. But I sure wouldn't mind some sleep. Spock, how far away from Revlair are we?"

"Thirteen hours, twelve minutes, 46 seconds at current speed."

"We need to go to full warp. Surprise Kodos."

"The nerve pinch won't work the next time we need you down when you're feeling the affects of the drug, Jim. We'll need something stronger." Bones knelt beside him with a roll of bandages. "Spock needs you fixed up so you can interrogate the prisoner. Sulu, give me a hand and sit Jim up, please."

That particular maneuver caused Jim to panic. "Bones, I can't sit myself up at all. Sorry, Sulu." He hated being a deadweight.

"At least your shirt is already practically torn off. Uhura, help me. It'll go faster. We are running out of time," Bones said as he began applying a wrap next. The furrow on Bones' brow deepened with each pass he made around Jim's chest with the bandage. Jim felt Uhura's fingers on his back and flinched. She would see his scars, no doubt. The closest anyone had, except for Bones.

"Sorry you have to see my sexy back, Uhura." He tried to laugh, but was only able to offer a sharp gasp. "Shit, that hurts."

He'd gotten the pseudo-skin put on, not for impressing women, but so no one would have to feel the shock of seeing his grim reality in such a pure form.

"Captain, it is I who am sorry." She murmured in his ear.

"This will help," said Bones.

Not likely. "Put me in the brig when this drug wears off. You're going to have to shoot me with several phasers set to stun then, when the time comes to transport me to Revlair. If that doesn't work, do your best to have me out. You can't beam all of us down. We may need the ship to transport equipment and perhaps a few passengers on return. Scotty can help you with this part. Tell him to inform you of our mission nine months ago in conjunction with Ambassador Spock and Section 31."

"The Ambassador? Captain, please explain why-" Spock asked.

"Long story, Spock. Scotty can explain that to you. I fear systems on Revlair were compromised. You would have heard from Ambassador Spock, who keeps tabs on Revlair." Jim panted from the exertion. "What is the prisoner's name again?

"Jared Memphis Vager."

Memphis.

Please, no, not him.

"Jim?"

When Spock repeated the name of the prisoner, Jim's face went slack, even as Dr. McCoy and Sulu hoisted him to his feet. Whatever discomfort Jim experienced, Spock knew Jim ignored it. His mind is going to that place- without the drug. I need to perform another mind meld as soon as possible. The probability that I can get through to him again is is decreasing by 6.7% every five minutes, even without the drug's effects.

"You know, avoiding being slaughtered along with my aunt and uncle was plain dumb luck." Jim laughed bitterly. "Most of the town was invited to a meeting- probably a total of 750 to 1,000 in that room. It was huge. We were all nervous, especially my uncle. I'd not been invited but went anyways. Maybe because I was a visitor, not supposed to stay. My aunt told me to go outside after they'd been seated. I listened to her. Why? I don't know. I didn't usually listen. A premonition, I guess. And then at the last minute I grabbed my cousin's arm-he was talking to his friend, who I knew as Memphis Vager- and pulled him outside. We hadn't eaten much for days already and were not the energetic kids we usually were. A few minutes after the two of us had been lying on the grass watching a spectacular array of comets, we heard the steady rhythm of the phasers. We hid in a nearby field.

Dr. McCoy had finished wrapping Jim with the bandage. "Sulu, help me get this on Jim," McCoy whispered as he held up a black shirt. They first pulled off what was left on his body from the other shirt- the left sleeve. Jim, unaware of the proceedings, continued on in low anguish. Even Spock could hardly hear him. Uhura used a cloth to wipe the sweat of his face.

"Hours after my friends, family, and neighbors were killed, I went inside. The guards had set fire to the building and then left. I screamed at my cousin when he tried to go in, and punched him. That hurt, but I couldn't let him be killed, too. It hurt worse when I went in, getting third degree burns, just looking for someone to save. I found Memphis alive with a small wound on his arm, half hidden underneath his own parents, who were dead."

"Memphis wouldn't walk, so I had to pick him up. He was three years younger than me but tall. He wasn't the toughest kid I had to carry, but he was unconsolable. He cried. That's all he did for days."

Jim, leaning heavily on McCoy, looked at Spock. "I saved him. After Kevin, Tom, I were caught, I didn't know what happened to many of the others until I heard of the trial. Then I knew some had died. I thought Memphis had died. Never heard his name until now. Never mentioned at the trial. And now, you're telling me that Memphis drugged me?"

"Yes. He confessed to following Kodos' order to drug you."

"I don't get it. Unless he was brainwashed. Unless he had sold us out before we were captured."

"He would not be the same person you recall from Tarsus. His agenda may include unexpected specifics."

"That's what I'm afraid of." Jim pushed away from McCoy, attempting to stand upright. He did fairly well but Spock saw how great the effort was for Jim. The security officers were right outside sickbay and could help Jim walk to the brig. "I guess this is it. Sulu and Uhura, talk to Scotty, then bring Spock up to speed. Dr. Marcus and Chekov will work through what we can do with the thoron fields. Spock, stay in the brig with me until it looks like I'm going out of it again. From now on, you're in charge of that decision. You'll be exchanging Memphis for me in the brig. It may be tricky. Place Memphis where he can be heavily guarded, away from me. Something about this- it doesn't seem right. Obviously, I don't trust him, but I have a feeling he is using Kodos as much as Kodos is using him. Also, if you can, I'd like to talk to Dr. Marcus when I'm in the brig. Preferably, before the effects begin again."

"You have mere minutes, Jim," said Bones. "I think Spock should mind meld with you again as the drug starts to take affect. It seemed to calm your stats. You'll be emotionally and physically provoked after you talk to Memphis."

"Wait," Jim was horrified. "Spock, you performed a mind meld on me? Dammit."

"Jim, you asked me to do whatever is needed, even if it causes you pain," stated Spock.

"It won't cause me pain I'm not used to. It'll cause you pain." Jim paled. "I'm so sorry."

"Jim, I am not afraid." Spock was inches from Jim, his eyes locked in a formidable stare-down with him. If I can help you, I will not allow you to self-destruct.

Jim was the first to look away visibly shaken. "I'm sorry for all of this."

"Captain," said Uhura softly. "Please, trust Spock. Please. We don't have time. You don't have time."

Jim nodded and slowly brought his gaze back up to Spock's. He saw trust in the captain's eyes.

"Let's get moving, then," Jim quietly commanded.