"Are you sure you want to do this, Jim?" McCoy asked, walking warily behind the captain as they neared the cell.
"Yeah, Bones." Kirk shrugged, not looking back. "What's the problem?"
"Nothing-" McCoy lied through his teeth. "I'm just worried about you, is all."
"Aren't you always?" Kirk asked, turning his head and smirking at the doctor.
He swung open the door and revealed the woman sitting at a table, Spock sitting directly across from her. Spock turned his head as Kirk approached, and quickly stood up and offered him his seat. Kirk waved him off and sat down, the woman smiling seductively at him the entire time. A small twinge in the back of his brain throbbed, but he quickly pushed it away.
"So," Kirk folded his hands neatly on the table. "You're a Kahn-ut-tu healer?" He asked, and she nodded slowly.
"I am Luna," The woman stated, in her typical grandiose manner. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Captain Kirk." She smiled and Kirk felt the biting in the back of his head once again, but he pushed it away.
"I've got some questions to ask you, if that's alright with you." He cleared his throat.
"Anything for you, Jim." The woman folded her hands on the table in the same manner as Kirk's, but more loosely and welcoming.
"It's Captain Kirk," Kirk said stiffly. "I want to ask you about your healing methods, first and foremost." Kirk sat up straighter.
"I believe that I have already explained my ways to Mr. Spock," The woman smiled, somewhat impatiently. "Well, as well as I can for someone unfamiliar with my people's ways."
"Right, but I want to ask you about the side affects." Kirk persisted and the woman's smile began to curve into a frown.
"There are no side affects of being healed," The woman shrugged and the smile returned to her lips. "Of course, there is the legend."
"The legend?" McCoy asked from where he was leaning on the doorframe. The woman laughed quietly, then brushed back her silken hair from her face.
"The healing process is an...intimate ceremony," The woman explained. "When I make contact with you, our souls pass through the root, and they intwine," She said, and Kirk stiffened slightly. "It is how I convince your body to heal itself, of course. However, there is a legend that once healed by a Kahn-ut-tu woman, you will be unable to resist their call," She smiled, her eyes piercing Kirk's. "But I'm sure that a man like yourself doesn't believe in legends, now do you?"
"Some legends aren't legends at all," Kirk cleared his throat and slunk his hands off the top of the table. "But I'm not exactly going to make that judgment now."
"Then what do you plan to do now, Captain?" The woman asked, tilting her head curiously.
"I'm going to return you to your planet, where you won't speak of this incident ever again," Kirk said as he stood up from the desk. "Are we clear?" He stared directly into her eyes and she smirked at him.
"Once you and your allies make good on your end of the deal, you will never hear from me again." The woman shrugged. "You do plan on following through with your promise, don't you, Captain?" Kirk flinched slightly at her words and McCoy instinctively reached for his tricorder, but slowly let his hands slip away as Spock shot him a confused glance.
"The ship's leaving in two hours." Kirk said sternly and walked out of the room, McCoy and Spock hot on his heels.
"Jim," McCoy snapped as the door shut behind them as he and Spock struggled to match Kirk's vigorous speed. "What the hell was that?"
"What was what, Bones?" Kirk asked, continuing forward, unrelenting.
"That flinch! When she asked you what you were going to do," McCoy hissed, stepping quickly down the long linoleum hall.
"I have no idea what you were talking about," Kirk shrugged. "You're being paranoid, Bones." He stopped at the door at the end of the dimly lit hall, the bright red exit sign hanging above it. He swiveled on his heel to face his friends. "Be ready to go in an hour and a half. I'm going to go get us a transport, off the books." He patted McCoy on the shoulder and quickly slipped out the door.
"Perhaps the Captain is correct," Spock cleared his throat after a long and confused silence between the two remaining men.
"The hell do you mean?" McCoy hissed, snapping out of the trance and turning his attention to Spock. "You're telling me that you didn't see that in there?"
"No," Spock assured him. "I am simply stating that perhaps the reaction of the Captain was purely coincidental."
"You don't think that witch has got his mind on lock down?" McCoy threw his hands out. "The man didn't argue when she asked him about 'following up' on his end of the bargain. He just walked away. I've seen that man argue the green off an Orion. It's not like him to just walk away like that."
"The Captain could be suffering from trauma from the ritual," Spock admitted. "It is likely that the transference of energy between him and the Kahn-ut-tu has left scars on his mind, that he perhaps is not even aware of."
"That's exactly what I'm worried about," McCoy let out a frustrated sigh. "I don't know what that woman is capable of," He rubbed his neck. "She could very well have left a mark on his brain and be controlling him."
"That seems most illogical," Spock raised an eyebrow.
"You heard her, she said that it's in their lore that the person she heals can't resist her call. Sure as hell sounds like mind control to me," McCoy crossed his arms against his chest.
"What's lore is lore," Spock tried to reassure the doctor. "It cannot be proven without evidence. We must monitor the Captain's condition, but as of now, we have no definitive evidence proving the legends."
"Yeah," McCoy grumbled. "You'd better be right about this, you pointy-eared bastard."
/
"All set?" Kirk asked behind his shoulder.
"Affirmative, Captain." Spock called up to the front of the small craft. The Kahn-ut-tu woman stood at his side, looking around the ship curiously.
"Right then," Kirk sighed and unbuckled himself from the pilot's seat. He stood up and faced the woman, leaning against the back of the chair. "We're going to beam down to the surface of your planet, and we're going to poke around, make sure that this 'warring nation' isn't playing fair, and decide just what weaponry exactly we're going to supply you with."
"That wasn't our deal, Captain." The woman insisted, her face twisting into a frown as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"Oh no, it still is," Kirk shrugged. "Just renegotiated." He smirked at the woman and motioned for Spock to take the pilot's seat. He sashayed over to the bins and pulled a pelt outfit from inside of it. He threw some of the garb at McCoy and slipped off his shirt, replacing it with the pelt. McCoy followed his lead, more uncomfortably.
"Alright," Kirk sighed as he stood next to the woman and McCoy. "Beam us down, Spock."
"Aye, Captain." Spock pressed a button on the console and the crew disappeared from inside the small carrier ship.
/
Kirk felt the familiar fuzzy feeling of his atoms rearranging themselves as he materialized on the planet's surface. His sight slowly returned to him, and desert plains filled his vision, the light flooding in his eyes. He moved his arm up to shield them as he looked around the desert, the small, scattered tree clusters dotting the scene.
"So," He continued scanning the area. "This is Neural?"
"It is indeed, Captain," The woman smiled.
"Well it looks like paradise." McCoy scoffed as he patted the medkit on his side.
"Come, I'll show you to the enemy base." The woman took Kirk's arm and trotted up the rocky terrain. Kirk reluctantly moved his feet as she tugged on his arm. McCoy stuck close behind, climbing up the boulder after them. As they reached the peak, the three overlooked the valley below, which was filled with a military-like bunker, the mud frame keeping it hidden from a distant onlooker. Kirk peered at the camp as he watched a few soldiers appear from inside the bunker, each of the carrying a flintlock rifle.
"Huh," He breathed as he continued to watch. "What'd Spock say about the development of this planet again?"
"That they aren't very far along yet. Certainly not this far along." McCoy answered, watching the soldiers do their rounds.
"So you see?" The woman asked, her excitement pouring over into her words. "We need to retaliate!"
"The Hill People are a peaceful people," Kirk raised an eyebrow. "Last time I checked, anyway."
"We can no longer sit idly by as these tyrants slaughter us and we are left defenseless!" The woman hissed at Kirk, who cowered away slightly.
"Listen," Kirk started, sliding back down the rock slightly, to avoid being seen. "I'm not saying that what's going on here is right. But that doesn't mean that I can intervene," He explained. "To do that, I'll have to file a full report with Starfleet. We don't have enough back-up to storm in there on our own an get to the bottom of things."
"There is no need for back-up when you have the technology of the gods at your fingertips!" The woman protested, pointing at Kirk's bag. "You surely have something that could overwhelm our enemies!"
"That doesn't mean that I should use it." Kirk shrugged. "We've got this thing in Starfleet called the 'Prime Directive'. Me just being here violates that. I can't mess with your civilization's growth unless there is definitive proof of something sketchy going on here, and even then, it's kinda a gray area. To give you any power too quickly can be extremely dangerous. It could lead to the destruction of your entire race."
"No!" The woman yelled. "We had a deal, Captain Kirk!"
"Alright," Kirk lifted a hand to calm her down. "Listen. I can give you the same guns that you have, but nothing more. Then I'll come back with Starfleet and get to the bottom of this. Does that work for you?" McCoy stared in disbelief as he watched Kirk speak.
"That is less than pleasurable," The woman's face twisted into a frown.
"Well, that's all I can give you." Kirk shrugged. "I'm sorry," He said as he pulled out his communicator. "We can get you your guns in a week, at best. They just don't make them like that anymore." He flipped open the tricorder. "Spock? Beam us up."
"Wait!" The woman cried out as McCoy and Kirk de-materialized in front of her eyes. "Curse you, Captain!" The woman huffed and stared at the spot that they disappeared from. "If you will not do something, then I will." She scurried up the mountain again and shuffled quickly down the other side. The guards raised their weapons at her and she threw up her hands in surrender, but continued moving forward slowly.
"Freeze, Kahn-ut-tu!" One of the guards barked.
"I come in peace," She insisted, sliding to the bottom of the hill. "Take me to the outsiders." The guards lowered their weapons slightly and shared a confused glance. After an awkward second, one of the guards lowered their weapon and motioned for her to follow.
"Come with us," The guard disappeared inside the bunker, and the woman swaggered close behind, a smug smile spread across her face. She followed him down the dark and narrow halls until they reached an ornate door, decorated in gold leaf and intricate carvings. The guard pushed through the door and motioned inside. The Kahn-ut-tu took a deep breath and stepped through, and came face to face with a Klingon general sitting atop an extravagant throne, bedecked with jewels and riches, his own body covered in a lavish robe, but his forehead still showing the distinctive Klingon marks.
"A Kahn-ut-tu woman," The Klingon's lips curled over his teeth as he smiled at the visitor. "A rare and beautiful treat," He stood up slowly from his throne and took a few slow and pronounced steps in her direction. "What brings you here?" He asked, placing a hand gently on her cheek and brushing her hair from her face. She stood stiffly as he stared into her eyes.
"I have been approached by outsiders, such as yourself." She said firmly and the Klingon raised an eyebrow.
"Oh?" He asked, still too distracted by her beauty to pay much attention to her words.
"They brought me back to their home planet, I believe it is called Earth?" She said and the Klingon's muscles tensed. His hand dropped from the side of her face and his expression hardened. "They had me heal their Captain. James Tiberius Kirk," The woman said and the Klingon's eyes sparkled. "They made a deal to help my tribe, but it is a promise that I don't believe that they intend on fulfilling."
"My dear, such is the way with most outsiders. You must be careful who to trust," He took a step back and motioned to his second in command, who was standing at the side of the room. "I am glad that you came to me with this information, but I don't know why you did." The second in command stood by the Klingon general's side, patiently awaiting an order.
"I want revenge." She said, with fire in her eyes. "I hope that my people's quarrel with you can be resolved as we fight this common enemy."
"That it will, my dear." The Klingon smiled and ran his fingers through the woman's hair. "We will formulate a plan, but it will involve you making your stay on Earth and gathering intelligence. You see, Starfleet has slaughtered our people and gone against our promises. We need to learn how to destroy them, but we can only do that with you on the inside."
"I have a way to secure passage," The woman smirked. "We will not stand for treachery and deceit."
/
Uhura swished the wine around in her glass slightly, watching the deep purple coat the sides of the glass. She plopped down on the couch of her and Spock's quarters, grabbing the remote from the small end table as she did. Tucking her feet up on the couch, she brought the TV to life.
"Spock," Ambassador Spock's face appeared on the screen. Uhura sighed and stood up. How many times do I have to tell the man to switch the tapes when he's done with them? She grumbled as she reached for the player. "These healers can do miraculous things, but please heed my warning." Ambassador Spock said, and Uhura's hand hovered over the player. "These women are not to be trusted. They are able to manipulate the minds of whoever they heal, but they do not often do so. They have the capacity to be very dangerous. Do not provoke them, and only employ their services when absolutely necessary."
"Oh my God," Uhura breathed, stepping away from the player. That idiot never finished the tape! I've got to warn them!
/
"What is our next course of action?" Spock asked from the co-pilot's seat, next to Kirk.
"We give them the flintlocks," Kirk sighed. "Even the playing field. But we can't let Starfleet know. They'll know we've intervened." Kirk rubbed his head. "We're just asking for a court martial if we do that, and now we don't have any allies on the council. We go back after we get re-instated on our mission. Then we figure out just what the hell is going on there."
"Do you really think that'll work, Jim?" McCoy asked, his hands tightly curled around the seat belt strapping him to the seat behind Kirk.
"We've got no other choice," Kirk shrugged, rubbing his temple. A wave of pain suddenly washed over his body, but he pushed it down deep.
"Who do you think is behind enabling the Hill People's adversaries?" Spock asked, taking a second to look away from the screen and turn his attention to Kirk.
"Not sure," Kirk admitted, his head beginning to pulse. "But I know that it's bad news."
"Do you think it has anything to do with whoever planted the bomb?" McCoy asked, and Kirk gripped his head as the pain started growing stronger.
"That'd be too.. too coincidental," Kirk said, pain edging his voice. His eyes shut tight as his head throbbed and felt as though it were going to burst at the seams.
"Jim?" McCoy asked, trying to peer around the chair. "Are you alright?" He asked and Spock's head snapped in Kirk's direction. Kirk was hunched over the console, his hands gripped tightly around his head.
"Doctor, something is wrong," Spock threw off the seat belt over his chest and stood up frantically.
"Jim!" McCoy yelled as he jumped out of his chair. Kirk cried out in pain through gritted teeth as he fought against the overwhelming pain. It felt as though someone had taken a jackhammer and was pressing it against his skull, his thoughts jumbled and broken. "Jim, talk to me," McCoy pleaded as he whipped out his tricorder.
Kirk moaned in response, his hands closing tighter over his skull.
"Shit." McCoy muttered as he watched the readings appear on his tricorder. "Spock, we've gotta get back to Earth, and fast." He commanded as he grabbed Kirk's armpit and helped him up, pulling him out of the pilot's chair. Kirk's legs tried to support his weight as McCoy dragged him towards the back of the ship. Spock quickly slid into the pilot's seat and readjusted the controls, sending them hurdling through space even faster.
McCoy laid Kirk out on the floor of the ship, letting his head rest on the pelt clothing from Neural. Kirk screamed in anguish, his hands still curled tightly around his head.
"Spock, get us out of here!" McCoy yelled over Kirk's screaming, placing a comforting hand on the younger man's chest.
Spock's communicator suddenly beeped to life and Spock quickly snapped it open. "Uhura to Spock," Uhura's panicked voice came over the communicator.
"Spock, we don't have time to have a talk with your girlfriend!" McCoy barked as he pulled a hypo from his medkit.
"Spock here," Spock said, ignoring McCoy. His fingers raced across the panel, trying to make the ship go even faster.
"Spock, the witch! She can control Kirk's mind!" Uhura explained, her voice wavering as she heard Kirk's anguished cries. "Ambassador Spock said so on the rest of the tape!"
"You didn't finish the damned tape?!" McCoy yelled as he pushed the hypo into Kirk's chest.
"I did not have time, I had to act," Spock responded, his voice shaking slightly as he desperately tried to cover up his shame. He grabbed the ship's yoke and the ship jerked suddenly to the right, sending McCoy and Kirk sliding, nearly into the wall of the ship.
"Spock, what the FUCK!" McCoy yelled as he struggled to regain his balance.
"We must turn around and go back to Neural." Spock explained, trying to keep his calm.
"Why the hell would we do that?!" McCoy checked Kirk's spiking vitals once more as the Captain continued to cry out.
"It is obvious that the Kahn-ut-tu is trying to send us a message," Spock punched the speed and the ship rocketed forward. "The Captain will die if we do not comply."
/
Extra long chapter! I've got to say, I'm kind of disappointed at how this is turning out. I had such good plans for this story :(. Anyway, I'm going to keep writing and hope things get better, and I hope that you'll stick around and keep reading. Thanks for reading this far :)
-buckminsterbarnes