Okay so this is like really short but I felt like it was better than nothing. More whump coming soon, I promise!


There was silence before Jim said, "What?"

"You heard me. I said they're trying to connect to your brain!" Uhura shook her head. "I've seen this once before, when we were studying at the academy. But they weren't successful."

"You're saying that thing's plugged into his brain?" Bones asked incredulously.

"Yes. I – I mean, it might not be. You never know."

Jim's eyes were wide, and he was frozen for a moment before pushing away again from Bones. A gentle hand stopped him before he could move much, but he pushed that away as well and rose slowly, Bones cursing him as he went. His whole body ached, and it felt like fires were burning in his stomach and his arm. Why the fuck they had bothered to rough him up in the first place was beyond him. Obviously with this brain thing they would be able to get anything they wanted from him.

He took a stepped forward and stumbled a bit. New pain erupted in his chest and he put a stabilizing hand on the wall, his eyes swimming.

Bones was on him in an instant. "Jim?"

"I'm fine, Bones."

"Like hell you are. But there's nothing I can do about that is there?"

Not for the first time, guilt rose in Jim's chest. He shouldn't have brought Bones along. It had been a selfish thing, really, and now his friend was paying the price.

He pulled in a long breath and settled his feet. Time to get this done. He approached the metal door and felt his fingers along the edge. The door was thick and solid as a rock, and there was barely a crack between the door and the wall. The lock was on the other side, and there was nothing but blank metal on their side. He punched the door in frustration, then immediately regretted it.

"Not gonna work, kid," Bones said solemnly. "I tried hard enough trying to get to you."

Jim looked into his eyes for a moment and then away. He knew Bones hated it when he was hurt. But it's not like he could very often prevent it. No matter what people said, he didn't go looking for trouble. Trouble came looking for him.

Suddenly there were sounds behind the door, and Jim stepped back quickly into his friend.

The door opened and light framed four figures: Kabul, one of the thugs that had been in the other room with Jim, and two other armed guards.

"Captain," said the man in the middle, Kabul. "Come with us."

Bones growled. "So you call him captain and then cut him with a knife. How civilized."

"As is your demeanor, doctor. Now come, Kirk."

"Like hell he's going with you!" Bones stepped in front of him and spread his arms.

Kabul nodded one of the guards, and, faster than Jim's weakened body could respond, the doctor was pushed hard against the wall. His head hit the metal roughly and he slid to the ground senseless.

"Bones!" he cried, reaching forwards at the same time Uhura raced to the doctor. Hands grabbed him round the middle and he could only hear Uhura yelling profanities at them before the door closed loudly.

"We've got a Vulcan to talk to," Kabul growled.

"Fuck you."

"Now, now, Kirk. Be civil."

"You start."

They stopped in front of a view screen and Kabul left Jim a bit out of view. He nodded to another soldier and Spock's face appeared on the screen.

Jim's heart thudded in his chest and he struggled against the hold of his captives to be seen. He was held back, and a hand covered his mouth to keep him from crying out.

"Commander Spock."

"Fathigh Kabul. Where is the Captain?"

Kabul looked back at Jim and gave him a small smile, and without knowing why, Jim's heart froze in his chest. This wasn't going to be good.