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PART THREE

He should have known it wouldn't be that easy.

Ten hours later-ten hours during which they had been so close to
catching up with the Klingon vessel. Ten hours when A'sharon had been
just out of reach. Then Spock suddenly straightened and turned.

"The signature is gone."

"What happened to it, Mr. Spock?"

Kirk was tired. Rubbing his neck, he wished for the Vulcan's expert
hands to give him one of his fabulous massages. Spock used to help him
with that crick in his neck almost before he knew it was there. But that
was only one of the many things he would lose if Spock transferred
elsewhere.

He glanced over at the Vulcan, whose eyes were now riveted on the
information coming from the science station. Both their shifts should
have ended five hours ago.

"I cannot explain it, Captain. Until three point four five minutes ago,
the subspace trail was traceable."

"She must have stopped somewhere," She'zaron said. Kirk had to hand it
to her, She'zaron was tough. She hadn't complained once, even though
she, too, had been on the bridge for more than thirteen hours without
rest.

"I am inclined to agree, sir. I see no other explanation."

"Shields up and go to yellow alert," Kirk said.

Spock lifted a quizzical eyebrow, but Kirk wasn't ready to explain his
actions in front of She'zaron. He wasn't about to admit that A'sharon
gave him the creeps, or that his senses had started to tingle warning
signals as soon as the Enterprise dropped out of warp.

"Scan the area, Mr. Chekov."

"Aye, sir."

Minutes passed.

"Anything unusual?"

"No, sir. Nothing."

"Mr. Spock?"

"I am not certain. There is a minuscule discrepancy."

"Let me see it," She'zaron demanded.

Spock glanced at Kirk, who thought for a moment and then nodded. Perhaps
she could help.

Spock stepped aside to allow her to examine the readings.

"Yes," she said. "These fluctuations indicate that the cloaking device
is nearby but not moving. A'sharon must be in the vicinity. Cloaked."

Kirk straightened in his chair, his fatigue all but gone. "All power to
the shields. Start a detailed scan. Find out where those fluctuations
are coming from."

"Aye, sir."

"Get the tractor beam ready, Mr. Spock."

The bridge was suddenly a flurry of activity, as all personnel prepared
for what was to come. Kirk's entire body was coiled tight, ready to
fight.

The ship rocked violently.

A hit.

"Enemy fire! Shields at seventy-eight percent!" Sulu stated.

"Pinpoint their location, Mr. Chekov."

"They are right below us, Keptin," Chekov reported. "They are aiming at
the varp nacelles and our veapons."

"Strengthen our shields with all we've got, Mr. Sulu." Kirk didn't wait
for a response but turned the chair around to address the Klingon woman.
"She'zaron. Do they have some kind of new weapon as well?"

"I wouldn't know, Kirk."

"Not a Klingon weapon then," Kirk mused aloud, and he turned to his
first officer. "Mr. Spock?"

Spock didn't turn from his work. "It is a highly forceful energy weapon
of unknown configuration, sir."

"Mr. Sulu. Can you get a lock on them and fire?"

"Yes, Captain."

"Then do so!"

"Aye!"

The Enterprise fired its phasers.

On the viewscreen, Kirk followed the beam. It blazed ineffectively
against the Klingon ship's cloak and died. A'sharon's ship instantly
returned fire, aiming at their phaser banks.

"Photon torpedoes!" Kirk barked.

"They're down, Captain," Spock reported.

The ship rocked again, and Kirk's grip around the armrests tightened.
The viewscreen darkened.

"Report!"

"Damage to several bridge systems."

"Damn, we're blind as a bat!" Kirk swore. What was this weapon that
damaged the Enterprise so easily?

"I'm trying to fix the outside view, Cap'n!" said Scotty.

"Shields are failing, sir. They are down to forty-five percent," Sulu
reported. Kirk saw his fingers flying over the controls, re-routing
power from all over the ship to the shields. "Attempting to compensate."
Sulu paused for a moment before stating, "All weapons down, sir."

"What is this ship, Spock?" Kirk demanded.

"I do not know, Captain." The Vulcan's voice was tight with
concentration, and Kirk saw his hands grab the edge of the science
station as the ship rocked violently once more.

"Shields down to thirty-two percent!"

Kirk watched as She'zaron pulled Uhura out of her chair, throwing the
smaller human female aside. Then she hit the communications switch. Kirk
was out of his seat in the blink of an eye and caught the communications
officer before she hit the railing. Uhura glanced at him gratefully.

"A'sharon, this is your sister! Cease your attack on the Enterprise!"

Kirk moved to grab the Klingon and tear her out of the chair.

"What are you doing?" he snarled.

Spock's hand suddenly rested on Kirk's shoulder.

"Captain, wait," he said.

Kirk halted his movement instantly, always trusting Spock. The Vulcan
had more intuition than he credited to himself. Their viewscreen
flickered to life, and Kirk's worst nightmare appeared. A'sharon's long,
black hair was pulled from her face, making the resemblance to her
sister even more apparent.

"Had enough yet?" she grinned.

"A'sharon," Kirk spat.

"Captain Kirk. I believe you owe me something."

Kirk shuddered. There was no question what she was referring to.

"Perhaps if you repay your debt, I will let you live. Lower your shields
and let us board you."

"Not a chance in hell," Kirk replied coldly.

I'd rather die.

"Your weapons are inoperable, and even if they weren't, they are useless
against our superior defenses, and it is only a matter of time before we
penetrate your shields."

"A'sharon. You have disgraced our family. Don't do this!" She'zaron
hissed. "You should turn yourself over to the authorities. Our brother
will bear the shame of your actions for the rest of his life! Our house
will be thrown out of the Council.."

A'sharon laughed. "Oh, sweet sister. You are so naive." A burly Klingon
appeared on the screen beside A'sharon.

Spock moved from Kirk's side to the science station. Kirk's gaze
followed his movements, anticipating the Vulcan's next action. He kept
half an eye on the viewscreen.

The figure on the screen spoke: "Greetings, She'zaron. Would you not
join us?"

"K'Ehl! What have you done!" She'zaron's dark brown eyes widened in
shock.

Kirk caught Spock looking at him with a raised eyebrow. The Vulcan moved
his hands to the side in a familiar gesture, signaling to Kirk, who
nodded that he'd gotten the message. As Kirk moved to stand behind
Chekov, his full attention diverted to the viewscreen.

"I am sorry to interrupt this wonderful family reunion," he said coldly.
"But I am not interested in your domestic squabbles."

Kirk reached out, switching the viewscreen to outside view. "Fire
phasers and photon torpedoes, wide spread, Mr. Sulu!"

Sulu, to Kirk's satisfaction, did not dawdle, but fired immediately.
Perhaps he, too, had seen Spock's signal that weapons were again at the
ready.

Obviously unprepared for the violent attack, the smaller ship lost its
cloak and the image of the vessel became visible. It looked like an
ordinary battlecruiser, except for the weapons attached to the edges of
its wings. Their snub-nosed menace was unlike anything Kirk had ever
seen before.

They had no time to fire again before the Enterprise was hit. Kirk could
feel the blow as though it had impacted with his body. The red alert
klaxons blared and acrid smoke filled the bridge.

"Captain, A'sharon is hailing us again," Uhura said, now back at her
station

"On screen."

"It is interesting what money can buy, isn't it, Captain?" A'sharon
said. "It looks as though your little Enterprise did not appreciate the
encounter with my ship."

There were several short circuits making sparks fly through the air.

"Life support is damaged!" Scotty reported.

"Shields are down, sir!" Sulu snapped out.

A'sharon's laughter filled the bridge.

"Goodbye, Captain. It was a pleasure knowing you." Then the viewscreen
went black.

"Captain, we must abandon the bridge!" Spock said.

The smoke and lack of oxygen made Kirk cough, and it felt as though his
lungs were being torn from his body.

When Kirk turned from the viewscreen, he saw She'zaron leaving.

A'sharon fired again, and it was like a death blow. The lights flickered
and went out. Kirk fell, hitting his hip on the edge of the command
chair. Wincing, he pulled himself up.

Bitch! I'm going to get her, Kirk swore. She's killing the Enterprise.

They were in deep trouble now.

"Unauthorized transport in progress, Captain," Scotty reported.

"We must move to engineering," Spock said. "From there we can restore
life support and maneuver the Enterprise out of harm's way."

"Captain Kirk to the science laboratory," She'zaron's voice called over
the internal communications system.

"Not now!" Kirk could barely contain the anger in his voice.

"Captain, you must! You'll want to see this."

Kirk looked back once more. The bridge was dark, save for the sparks
still flying through the air. It looked like the disaster area it was.
The only way they could get out of this was to warp away from A'sharon.
If they still had warp drive.

"Security team to the science laboratory. Spock, you're with me. Scotty,
to engineering. Get us out of here!"



ŻŻŻ


She'zaron sat by the computer with her back turned.

"What was so important?" Kirk asked curtly. "We're still under attack."

"I know, that's why I wanted you here." She'zaron rose from her chair.
"Commence transport," she barked into her wristband.

"Damn it!" Kirk cursed as he materialized, instantly recognizing the
interior of the cells on A'sharon's battlecruiser. He had seen the smear
on the wall before and the marks on the floor. Even the guard posted
outside the cell was the same one as the last time they were captured.

She'zaron and Spock weren't there. Perhaps A'sharon felt that she only
needed him? Or if Spock had been taken elsewhere, perhaps she was about
to collect the debt she felt they owed her. Torturing Spock had been
high on her list.

"Damned bitch!"

Kirk was so angry he couldn't stand still; he paced the confines of the
cell. He could feel the ship moving and, knowing how badly damaged the
Enterprise was, he doubted there would be a rescue this time. He could
only hope that the battlecruiser had been so damaged that A'sharon would
have difficulties getting very far.

"Where is Spock?" he shouted to the guard. Of course, the guard didn't
answer. He grunted, crossed his arms and glared at Kirk.

Kirk slid to the floor and leaned his head against the wall. He hated
feeling helpless, and that was exactly what he was right now-helpless
and alone.

What was A'sharon doing to Spock? Would he ever see the Vulcan again?

Kirk leaned his head in his hands, suddenly wishing he hadn't been so
concerned about duty and regulations. Spock was normally the one who
always followed the book and he was the one who was reckless, bending
the rules.

Spock might be dead..

No!

Spock couldn't be dead.

He rose and started pacing again. The guard's black eyes followed him
each step.

Maybe Spock had been right, maybe he had used Starfleet's policy on
fraternization and relationships between officers in the same chain of
command as an excuse. Maybe he was indeed afraid? But of what?
Commitment? Losing Spock?

Yes, he was afraid of losing Spock. That wasn't news to him.

Was he afraid of the bond that all Vulcans shared?

Yes, perhaps a little, but thinking about it, wasn't it just another
adventure he would embark upon with the being he trusted more than he
trusted himself?

But for life? Would he want to spend his entire life bonded to Spock?

Yes. God help me. Yes!

Now he might never get the chance.

"Damn!"

"Not happy with the accommodations, Captain?" A'sharon's hated voice
interrupted his thoughts.

Spock was there, but he was clearly unconscious. The guards held the
Vulcan's limp body between them. Spock was pale and his breathing
shallow, but the Klingons didn't seem to care.

"I thought you would feel at home here by now," A'sharon continued.

Kirk barely heard what she said. All his concern was aimed at Spock.

"Throw them in the cell," A'sharon ordered. "Perhaps this time I will
have my way with the two of you, Captain. I intend to collect my
debt-one way or the other."

With that, Spock was shoved inside and fell. Moving forward, Kirk tried
to catch the limp body, but he was too late. He winced as he heard the
Vulcan's head hit the floor. Moments later, someone else was shoved into
the cell with them. He'd been so concentrated on Spock he hadn't seen
much else.

It was She'zaron.

The anger at seeing her was almost debilitating. She had betrayed them,
tricked them onto her sister's ship! But Kirk forced the anger away as
he examined Spock. The Vulcan was still unconscious, but Kirk had no way
of knowing why. Was he drugged?

"What the hell is she doing here?" Kirk hissed as he tried to make Spock
more comfortable. There wasn't much else he could do at the moment.

"She has outlived her usefulness," A'sharon stated, then she turned to
leave. Just as she was exiting the door of the outer room she looked
Kirk in the eye. Her face was as cold and hateful as he'd ever seen it.
He knew it mirrored his own. "And by the way, my surveillance devices
will monitor your every move. I would not want to miss the.show."

Then she left.

Kirk lifted his head to look at She'zaron. He was still crouching beside
Spock, holding his hand to the Vulcan's side, feeling slightly reassured
by the thudding of Spock's heart beneath his palm.

"What are you doing here? You betrayed us!"

"That wasn't me!" she protested. She paced back and forth along the back
wall. Kirk could barely see her in the bad light from the one lamp in
the ceiling. "My sister beamed aboard the Enterprise and took my place.
She was the one who lured the two of you down to the science lab to get
you aboard her ship. She's probably sabotaged your computer system so
that the Enterprise won't find us. Not without me or Spock to fix what
she might have destroyed."

Kirk rose to his feet, looking the Klingon woman straight in the eye.
"And why should I believe you?"

She'zaron didn't back off a millimeter. She met his gaze steadily.

"Oh, you'll believe me. When he wakes up, he'll confirm all the
details."

A cold thrill ran up Kirk's spine. He narrowed his eyes, gripping
She'zaron's shoulders none too gently. "What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything," she said, pulling away. She rubbed a hand across
her knobbly forehead. "At least not willingly. They used a mind probe."

A mind probe? Such equipment wasn't easy to come by. It was
expensive-and outlawed in the Federation. But they weren't in Federation
territory now.

She'zaron continued: "I don't know where my sister has gotten such
equipment. It is obvious that her Golden Dust operation has made her a
very rich woman, and it has given her powerful connections."

There was only one thing Kirk wanted to know. "What did she find out?"

"Nothing she didn't already know. She forced me to fix the cloaking
device. And then she made me watch while they injected Spock with a
drug. "

"What kind of drug?"

"A'sharon said it was a compound that will increase the activity in his
chenesi. I'm not sure what that means, but she explained that this will
make Spock more susceptible to repaying your 'debt' to her."

"How so?"

"She mentioned something called the pon farr."

Kirk's mouth went completely dry.



ŻŻŻ



The only break in the monotony was when the guard brought them water.
Even knowing that it was poisoned, Kirk and She'zaron drank from it.
Spock was still unconscious.

Hours passed, and Kirk started pacing again.

She'zaron sat cross-legged in a corner, as if hoping she would melt into
the wall. She was quiet, but Kirk still felt on edge. He should explain
what the pon farr meant, but he didn't know how he could get into such a
conversation with her.

Few off-worlders know. Only those who have been there to experience it..

Words, uttered years ago at the time of Spock's first pon farr, echoed
through Kirk's mind. He knew how intensely private the pon farr was for
all Vulcans. Should he betray the trust Spock had shown by telling
She'zaron? But she was about to see it first hand. It might even put her
in danger..

He watched She'zaron from the other end of the cell. He had pulled
Spock's head into his lap, trying to make them both as comfortable as
possible. He tried to suppress his distaste for the woman, tried very
hard to remember Spock's words.

She is not A'sharon.

"What is going on, Kirk?" she asked.

Kirk wet his lips. She deserved to know. Since he had no idea how Spock
would act once he woke up, she had to be told. She was the only woman..

Kirk's gut clenched at the thought. He didn't want to think about her
and Spock. It made him feel sick to his stomach. He'd rather die than
watch Spock and that woman.but if it saved Spock's life?

"Every seven years, Vulcan males go through something called the pon
farr. It is a mating cycle."

She'zaron's eyes grew large. She rose to her feet and came closer. Her
leather pants were dirty from the grime on the floor, and she was
sweaty. Still, she didn't repulse Kirk. Perhaps he was getting used to
her presence.

"So, what you're telling me is that A'sharon has made Spock want
to.mate? He doesn't look that way to me.."

"No."

"Maybe something's gone wrong?"

"It wouldn't surprise me."

"So what does A'sharon have to gain by this?" She'zaron mused aloud.

"She's probably hoping he'll kill me to get to you."

"Why would he?"

"Because most Vulcans in their Time would perceive another male as a
threat."

A moan came from the Vulcan, and Kirk looked at his friend.

"Then you'd better move away," She'zaron said, and her eyes turned to
steel.

"And go where?"

"Away from him."

"No."

"You have to."

"He won't kill me. He can't kill me."

Remembering the red sands of Vulcan and Spock in the plak tow, Kirk knew
that he might be wrong. If Spock went into a false pon farr.this time,
he might actually kill his captain. This time, there was no Bones to
save him from the Vulcan's deadly rage.

"I am the only woman here, and if I understand this right, he will see
you as a threat. Why do you think A'sharon put all three of us in the
same cell?"

"He wants me," Kirk said, more to himself.

"What.."

"Be quiet," Kirk murmured. He had no time for her. Instead, he leaned
over his friend, watching the dark eyes flutter open. Putting a hand to
the Vulcan's forehead, Kirk realized that Spock was practically burning
up.

"Move away from him at least," She'zaron pleaded. "If he finds me close
enough, he might not even notice that you are here."

"Be quiet!" Kirk repeated, louder this time. She silenced. She was
trying to help, but Kirk wouldn't let anyone else be with Spock. That
would only happen over his dead body.

Before Kirk realized that Spock was awake, he was on his back. He winced
as his shoulders thudded against the floor. Spock's hands were instantly
around his throat, hot and dry, trying to choke him. The grip was tight
as a vise, and Kirk could see the rage of the plak tow in the dark eyes.
He tried to pry Spock's hands off his throat; he tried to push the
Vulcan off him, but it was as if he were attempting to move a bulkhead.

"What did they do to you?" Kirk wheezed.

"Spock!" She'zaron shouted. "Let him go!"

The Vulcan didn't even look at She'zaron. It was as though she weren't
there at all.

"No!" Kirk's voice was barely a whisper. He fought to breathe, but there
was no oxygen. Still, Kirk turned his head toward She'zaron. "Go away!
If you so much as look at him again, I'll kill you!"

The grip around Kirk's throat tightened, and he forced himself to go
limp underneath Spock. Kirk spread his legs, allowing Spock to get even
closer. The jolt of desire that shot through him at the close contact
didn't surprise him, even under the circumstances. He'd finally admitted
to himself how much he wanted Spock.

"Spock," he hissed. "Spock, it's me, remember me? Jim."

It seemed impossible to reach Spock. It was too late-because he hadn't
told Spock, because he hadn't shown Spock how he felt, their friendship
would end this way. Spock didn't know that Kirk wanted him-and the bond.
If they had formed a bond, Spock would never have seen him as a rival.
Kirk was filled with sorrow, not so much for his death, as for the
knowledge that Spock would have to live with having killed..

"No!" Kirk coughed, pushing at the Vulcan's shoulders, but he was so
weak. He couldn't push Spock away, so what could he do? What? His sight
was faltering, dark spots danced before his eyes turning into white
flashes, and he knew that very soon, he would black out unless Spock let
go, and that would be the end of it.

In a last, desperate effort, he forced himself to lift his hands, to
slide his fingertips tenderly over the gaunt face, caressing the high
cheekbones and memorizing every plane and hollow of the Vulcan's face.

"Spock," he whispered. He fought to get each word across his lips,
through a throat that was barely giving him enough oxygen to breathe.
Still, Kirk kept talking. "Don't do this. I want you. I need you."

To his wonder, the grip around his throat loosened. The rage in the
Vulcan's face slowly changed into confusion. Perhaps this was his
chance? Kirk gulped for air and it made him feel dizzy.

"Spock, listen to me," he whispered through his burning throat. It hurt
so much, but he ignored the pain. "I love you."

Moving his hands to Spock's shoulders, he grasped them as hard as he was
able, and pulled Spock closer for a kiss. God almighty, how he'd longed
for that. Kirk's hands were around Spock's shoulders and he could feel
the tension spread through the Vulcan. Their bodies pressed tightly
together, and there was no mistaking the hardness against Kirk's groin.
Kirk welcomed it, wrapped his legs around the Vulcan's slender ones.

"Shh, Spock. Don't fight it. Kiss me."

Finally Spock relaxed. Their eyes met, and it was as though Spock was
lucid for one brief moment. Kirk licked his lips, nervously, longing to
feel the other's mouth against his. The hot breath brushed his face,
sending shivers through his body.

Oh, damn, Kirk thought, and he realized he'd been right. The very moment
their lips met, he was lost.

Kirk buried his fingers into the narrow shoulders, relishing the
sensation of their mouths moving softly together, warm and a little
moist. Kirk groaned. He forgot where he was for a moment, welcoming the
invasion of Spock's tongue, welcoming the desire that flared between
them, hot and bright as blue fire. Kirk moaned desperately. He wanted
this, and knowing that the pon farr was not to be denied, he wouldn't
fight it.

He hated that A'sharon would get what she wanted. Her plan might have
been to have Spock fuck him while she watched, and she'd probably thrown
She'zaron into the mix just to make things more interesting. But right
now, none of that mattered. Nothing meant more than Spock's life.

Violent tremors shook Spock's body and the grip around Kirk's throat
loosened completely. His hand rested on Kirk's face and a whisper of
something touched his thoughts.

~ Jim ~


Then that something slid out of Kirk's mind, leaving a trace of
discomfort. He groaned as a lance of pain tore through his skull.
Spock's hand fell from his face as the Vulcan went limp. Seeing the dark
eyes roll back scared Kirk to death.

He placed his hands on the Vulcan's shoulders and pushed him to the
side, making certain that Spock's head didn't bump to the ground. He was
out cold, and limp, as if he were dead.

Kirk got to his knees, leaning over his friend. A moment ago, Spock had
been wanting him, needing him, and Kirk had been ready to let Spock do
whatever he needed to drive the pon farr out of his system, and now the
Vulcan was unconscious.

Touching Spock's throat, he could still feel the steady pulse. He moved
his hand to the Vulcan's forehead, and his worry grew as he felt the
dampness against his hand. Spock was sweating profusely. Spock never
sweated. Kirk had seen him tremble only once and that was during pon
farr.

"Perhaps his system can't handle the hormones?" Kirk said uncertainly.
He hated feeling so helpless. "A'sharon," he screamed. "Get your medics
here. He's dying!"

The doors to the outer room of the brig slid open even before the echo
of his words had faded. A'sharon strode inside, pausing right at the
cell door, watching them closely between the steel bars. She must have
already been on her way.

"Does this please you?" Kirk hissed. "Is this what you wanted?"

"Yes, Kirk. This is what I want," she replied with a small smile. "It
doesn't really matter who dies. Watching one of you fight for his life
is perfectly all right. I thought your Mr. Spock would last longer,
though." A'sharon tilted her head to the side, watching Spock curiously.
"He is Vulcan, after all, and much stronger than you are. I thought you
would be the one to die.first."

"Damn you!" Kirk hissed, and smashed his hands against the iron bars.
They shook and the clanging sound rang in his ears.

"Let me out of here!" She'zaron growled, grabbing the irons.

A'sharon looked at her and laughed. "I thought you would be stronger, my
dear sister. It was foolish of me to think so. You were always the weak
one. I thought you would join us, but you have always been too
emotional. Never quite the warrior our father would have wished for you
to be."

"He would never have wanted me to become a greedy murderer. Being a
warrior is different from killing thousands of people with drugs,"
She'zaron spat. "You don't know me very well if you believe that I would
actually join you."

"It was naïve of me," A'sharon agreed.

"Give me some medical supplies and I will try to help Spock," She'zaron
insisted.

Kirk looked at her in surprise.

"Why should I let you help him? I want him dead!" A'sharon met her
sister's gaze and Kirk realized what she would do before She'zaron did.

"Kill her."

There was no time for Kirk to react before one of the Klingon guards
aimed a disrupter at She'zaron and fired.

She'zaron's body disintegrated right before them, filling the cell with
the nauseating stench of burning flesh.

"You two I will deal with later."

"Do something now!" Kirk said, knowing that he would do anything to keep
Spock alive.

Anything.

A'sharon threw her head back and laughed. "Oh, Captain," she said
softly, looking at him with a strangely tender expression on her face.
"It is glorious to have found your weakness."



ŻŻŻ



Kirk was left to himself. She'zaron was dead, Spock was still
unconscious, and there was nothing he could do to help. He would just
have to pray that Spock's body would fight the drug and that the Vulcan
would survive the hormonal imbalance. Kirk had never been good at
waiting, but he settled down to do just that.


The situation and the environment were strangely familiar. He and Spock
had been captured by A'sharon once before and kept prisoners in this
very same cell. This time, however, the dynamics of their relationship
were so different. Last time, Spock had been the strong one, giving him
water to drink when his body was wracked with fever, helping him
whenever he needed it.

Kirk moved closer to Spock's still form. The tremors had subsided, but
the Vulcan's damp skin was still burning hot. Pulling Spock's head into
his lap, Kirk tried to keep hope alive, but it was difficult.

He remained like that, watching worriedly as Spock fought the fever,
remaining unconscious for hours. It left Kirk with too much time to
think, but he tried not to disturb Spock. He shifted to keep the blood
running in his legs, but other than that, he barely moved.

Under the circumstances, it was hard to believe that the Enterprise
would come to another amazing, timely rescue. He was worried about the
ship and his crew. Had Scotty been able to restore the Enterprise's life
support? Was his crew even alive?

With Spock so debilitated, it seemed nearly impossible to escape on
their own, but they would have to try. Kirk remembered the time when
they had escaped from the Ekosian prison, using the subdermal implants
to open the door. But they wore no such implants this time, and there
wasn't even a single light bulb in the Klingon cell that he could have
used.

A'sharon was without a doubt one of the most dangerous enemies Kirk had
ever faced. She was cunning, cold, and had access to a plethora of
weapons and other military equipment that made her difficult to find and
even more difficult to overpower. Her arsenal had even proved
disturbingly effective against the Federation's flagship. That spoke
eloquently of her resources.

And she knew exactly how dangerous she was.

Kirk rubbed the bridge of his nose. They had to get out of this place.
If A'sharon didn't kill them immediately, they would be poisoned slowly
to death by the mercury in the water she provided them.

Shifting again on the hard floor, Kirk looked down at Spock. The Vulcan
was still lying immobile in his lap, his skin paler than Kirk had ever
seen it before.

"What did they do to you, Spock?" he whispered, lifting his hand to
brush away the sweat on the Vulcan's forehead. He knew that A'sharon was
probably still watching, but he couldn't stop himself from touching his
friend. He needed the reassurance that Spock was still alive. He drew a
relieved breath when he felt that Spock's fever must have dropped.

Kirk swallowed, his throat was sore, but it would go away in a couple of
days. "If we get out of this alive, Spock.."

"You will do what?" the Vulcan whispered-and opened his eyes.

"You're awake."

"It would seem so."

Spock moved as if to sit, but Kirk put a firm hand to the Vulcan's
chest.

"Don't move. Rest."

"I believe.."

"Don't argue. Just lie still. That's an order, Commander," Kirk added
softly, just in case Spock would try to protest again. "Keep your voice
down. A'sharon is probably still monitoring us, and I won't give her the
satisfaction of hearing what we're talking about."

"Indeed."

"Listen, how are you feeling, Spock?"

"I am.weak."

Kirk could tell how difficult it was for the Vulcan to admit this, but
he was glad for the honesty.

"How weak? Can you stand up?"

"I do not believe that I can." Spock's head was heavy against Kirk's
thigh. "What did they do to me?"

"I was hoping you could tell me, Spock. What's the last thing you
remember?"


"I recall being transported onto this ship, and then I was sedated."

"Then you don't know what happened after that?"

Spock was silent for a while. "I was burning."

"Yes."

Spock closed his eyes briefly as though trying to fight the shock. "Pon
farr? But that is impossible."

"They gave you a drug."

Spock moved restlessly. "I tried to kill you."

"You didn't."

"I tried.." Again, Spock attempted to move into a sitting position.

Kirk pushed Spock down again. "Lie still, my friend," he whispered. "Try
to gather some strength."

"How can you stand to touch me?"

"I want to touch you, Spock," Kirk whispered and looked into the
Vulcan's eyes. "Always."

The hurt was evident as Spock turned his face away. He still didn't
believe it. Kirk leaned forward. "I don't like A'sharon getting what she
wants, Spock, but I do care about you, more than you know," he said.

Kirk pulled the Vulcan closer and leaned down to kiss him. At first
Spock didn't react at all, but he was too weak to pull away, and Kirk
refused to let go. He brushed his lips lightly across the Vulcan's,
nibbling gently on the full lower lip, trying to coax his friend into
responding.

"Don't you want my kiss, Spock?" he whispered.

"Jim.." Spock's voice was coarse with desire.

"Then kiss me."

And finally, Spock gave in. Kirk let out a soft moan as the Vulcan's
lips opened under his and let him in. They were kissing each other
again.

Spock..

The Vulcan's hands moved around his neck, pulling him closer, as if the
kiss were giving Spock strength, and perhaps it was? If what they had
given him was indeed a drug made to induce an artificial pon farr,
perhaps their kiss was stimulating whatever hormones counteracted the
effect. Kirk pulled Spock closer, arousal coursing through him.

"Spock," he groaned against the Vulcan's eager lips.

The door to the brig opened, and Kirk and Spock turned their heads
toward the entrance as two guards stepped inside the outer room. One of
them moved to the cell door, unlocking it and sliding it to the side
with a loud clang.

"Get him up, or we'll shoot him," one of the guards said.

Kirk didn't reply, but he stood up, pulling Spock with him. The Vulcan
was heavier than he looked and was unable to help much, but Kirk was
stubborn. He kept walking, slowly making his way toward the door. One
guard stayed behind to lock up and Kirk's eyes moved across the outer
room swiftly. "Can you stand on your own, Spock?" Kirk whispered.

Spock gave an almost imperceptible nod, and Kirk let go, barely seeing
the Vulcan slide to the floor. Spock had evidently lied to him, but it
was too late for Kirk to change his mind now.

He turned around and knocked the weapon out of the Klingon's hand. It
slid across the floor toward Spock, and had the Vulcan been himself he
would already have been on his feet, pointing the weapon toward the
other guard. But he wasn't, so Kirk was on his own. He balled his fists
and struck the first Klingon again, straight across the jaw, sending him
stumbling into the wall. He fell to the floor, unconscious. The other
Klingon swiveled around, aiming his weapon at Kirk, who dove to the
side, the blast missing by a half-inch or less.

Grabbing the chair outside the cell, Kirk smashed it across his
opponent's head. The guard fired his disrupter but its aim was
completely off, and Kirk moved closer, sending a fist right into the
Klingon's nose. He grunted and fell on his back.

The surprise attack worked well despite Spock's weakness. With a jolt of
satisfaction, Kirk bent and stole the keys from one of the Klingons,
pulled both bodies inside the cell, and locked the door.

A'sharon's cameras were surely monitoring every action so they had to
move quickly. Kirk took both weapons, holstered the disrupter, and then
helped Spock to his feet. He seemed slightly stronger and for that Kirk
was grateful.

They moved from the brig into the dark corridor outside. Moving as
quickly as he could with Spock barely steady on his feet, Kirk hoped
that they would find somewhere to hide until Spock regained his wits.

"They will be able to scan the ship for our life signs," Spock pointed
out, and he leaned heavily against the bulkhead as Kirk stopped to get
his bearings.

"I know, that's why we have to move fast."

Spock nodded and pulled himself together.

"Are you feeling better?"

"That is relative," Spock admitted. "I believe I can move on my own."

 Kirk hadn't seen the inside of a ship like this before and had no idea
of its layout. Cursing silently, he wondered if they were near the
bridge or even close to engineering? How large was A'sharon's crew? How
many Klingons would they have to fight on their way to the engineering
section? Kirk found himself wishing that She'zaron had still been alive.
Since her death, he was convinced that she had been on their side after
all.

Right now, her help would have been invaluable. She would have known the
layout of a battlecruiser, and might even have been able to tell them
what crew complement it usually had.

"Captain," Spock said, indicating a wide door in the corridor. "I
believe this is the sickbay. I remember when they took me here. I was
drugged but not unconscious. If I remember correctly, engineering is on
the same deck."

"Good! That narrows down our search area."

The sound of voices wafted toward them and Kirk froze, moving into the
shadows. "We have to find a place to hide, Spock," he whispered. "Can
you think of a good place?"

"I believe so, Captain. Follow me." Spock took the lead. The Vulcan's
usually fluid grace was absent, and Kirk could see how much it took to
keep moving.

"We don't have time. Get in here," Kirk whispered, as the voices came
closer.

They both ducked inside the first place they could find. It was very
dark, and seemed to be empty of people.

The voices moved past their hideout, and Kirk relaxed against the wall,
drawing a deep, calming breath. If the Klingons discovered them now,
they would probably be shot on sight.

"Where are we?" Kirk whispered.

No answer.

"Spock?"

Still, only silence.

Kirk reached out and touched the Vulcan, who was standing very close.
His body was rigid and he was shaking.

"Spock?"

"I.apologize, Captain. The.." Spock fell silent. Kirk heard him swallow
convulsively. He moved closer and put his arms around his friend. It was
an embrace, and Kirk shuddered when he felt the Vulcan desperately lean
into his touch. It had been so long since Spock had shown him any trust.

"Spock, are you all right?" he whispered.

"No."

"What's wrong?"

"I am in pain. I cannot control it."

"Are you hurt, or is it because of their tampering with your
biochemistry?" Kirk asked.

"I cannot control the hormonal imbalance," Spock whispered. "There is a
partial bond between us. How can that be?"


Kirk swallowed. "In the cell. You fainted.."

Spock voice was unsteady. "I raped you."

"No, Spock, you didn't." He tightened his grip around the Vulcan. "It
never came to that."

"I entered your mind without your consent," Spock clarified.

"No, my friend, you didn't."

"There is a link," Spock stated.

"I wanted it," Kirk insisted, understanding finally that Spock wasn't
talking about a physical rape.

"No!" Spock tried to push him away, but Kirk wouldn't let go.

"Is there anything I can do?" Kirk said worriedly.

"No."

Kirk winced as the mental barriers slammed shut. He hadn't been aware of
the connection until Spock blocked it.

"Dammit, Spock. This is not the time for modesty or pride!"

"If I choose for this moment to be private, it is my right," Spock
replied. "You must leave me."

"No."

"I cannot go on like this. I will be a burden."

"You're getting better," Kirk said. He'd seen it himself. Because of the
kiss.maybe the partial bond? "Come on, Spock, give into your need. I
will help," he whispered, his grip around the slim body tightening.
Spock's breathing became ragged.

"There is no time for sexual activity, and I will not allow you to touch
me because you must," Spock said.

"I want to, Spock. Dammit. I want to touch you."

There was no awkward fumbling, as one might have expected. Instead, he
easily found Spock's lips in the darkness. Their bodies molded close
together, and Spock's mouth opened to Kirk's eagerly, allowing him
entrance without protest, as though Spock was incapable of resisting the
pull. The Vulcan's ragged breathing was enough to make Kirk tremble with
need. It was as though Kirk was caught up in the fire of pon farr as
well.

He buried his hands in Spock's hair. An image of how beautiful Spock was
formed in his mind as the silky strands ran through his fingers. He
forgot where they were, and that they certainly shouldn't be doing this.
Nothing else existed. All he could feel was Spock's sinewy body, so
close to his

Spock grasped his waist, strong fingers digging deep into Kirk's flesh,
needy and desperate-uncontrolled. Kirk winced as he was pushed against
something and a sharp edge was digging into his back. He ignored the
pain as their kiss deepened. Kirk thought he would break into tiny
pieces when a hungry moan escaped Spock's lips. The strong hands moving
across his body grew increasingly aggressive, and Kirk couldn't stop the
responding sound that resonated within him.

"Spock. Good God, Spock. Is this the action of someone who doesn't want
you?" Kirk murmured hoarsely. He was hard. Just as hard as Spock was. He
hadn't realized it until now. "Am I who you need, Spock? Am I?"

"Yes." The word was torn from the Vulcan's throat.

"Then take me, take what I want to give."

Spock buried his hands in Kirk's hair, and he waited to feel the
Vulcan's hot mouth against his again. He trembled as he lost all thought
of where they were. His legs were weak, and he held himself upright only
by holding onto Spock.

"No!" Spock's voice hitched. "No."

"Yes," Kirk insisted. "Yes, Spock!"

"No, the link is causing your desire. I cannot control it. The need you
feel is mine!"

Spock pulled away. Kirk felt bereft. He swallowed, trying to regain some
sort of control over himself. He was utterly undone. His need for Spock
had been let loose for the very first time without rein, and it was
soul-shattering in its force. But he knew without a doubt that the
desire was his own.

"No, you're wrong," he whispered.

Voices.

Frustrated, Kirk could have hit something, and Spock pushed him away
with finality.

"Jim.. Captain. You must find a way to contact the Enterprise-without
me. I refuse to allow us both to die because of my.need."

But I don't want to leave you.. Kirk wanted to say the words aloud, but
he knew he didn't have much of a choice.

"You have to hide someplace where the Klingons won't look for you. "
Kirk said. "But I'll need your help."

"I will attempt to assist you," Spock said. His voice was strained, and
worry tore through Kirk like a knife. He had thought Spock was fighting
the imbalance, getting better. Obviously, he was wrong. Spock
needed.him, and Kirk couldn't give what Spock's body so desperately
craved. Not now.

Kirk was the one who had forgotten their situation for just a brief
moment, and once again, Spock had done the right thing-for his
captain-but what about what was right for Spock? Kirk hesitated, but
then made up his mind, knowing there was only decision he could make

"Very well, first officer. Our first goal is to hide you, so let's get
to it."

Kirk tried to get his bearings. As he moved around, he found a light
switch by the door and turned it on. He blinked against the light and
saw Spock close his eyes with a pained grimace, as though his eyes were
even more sensitive than normal.

They were hiding inside a weapons locker.

"Spock, look at this. We sure picked the right place to hide!"

Spock remained silent and Kirk roamed through the shelves, finding more
ammunition for his disrupter and a small Federation phaser for Spock.

"Take this, you may need to defend yourself."

Spock's hand brushed against his, and Kirk let go of the phaser as
though he had been burned. Spock's soft gasp nearly made him stop and
decide to seduce Spock right then and there. They both wanted it, but
Spock must have known what he was thinking.

"No, Jim," he said softly.

Kirk sighed. No. This wasn't the time, so he kept examining their
surroundings.

An idea formed in his mind as he saw the equipment lying to the side. He
took one of the items and smashed the others. If he were lucky, his idea
would buy him some time.

"All right. Let's go!"

The hallway outside the locker was silent.

"How far to engineering?"

"We will be there in approximately four point two minutes if we are not
met with resistance," Spock explained. He was walking, but slowly. Kirk
glanced over his shoulder, but to his relief, the hallways were empty.
It was obvious that A'sharon still didn't know they had escaped, but it
was only a matter of time before she found out.

"It is here," Spock whispered. They stopped, standing close to the wall,
and Kirk peeked around the corner.

Two guards were standing outside engineering. The door to the section
was closed. Kirk wasn't really surprised to see that there weren't more
of them. The crew complement of a battlecruiser was much smaller than
that of the Enterprise.

"Can you take one of them out?" Kirk whispered, and Spock nodded curtly.
"I'll take the one farthest away."

Spock nodded.

"All right. Brace yourself." Kirk whispered. "When we enter engineering,
take out as many as you can. Aim at the ones by the computers first. We
must stop them from contacting the bridge."

A couple of quick blasts of disrupter fire and the two guards
disintegrated.

The doors to engineering slid open, and they both fired immediately.

The two Klingons by the computers disappeared as if they had never been.
Kirk threw himself behind a console, firing at two others. A disrupter
beam grazed his shoulder and he groaned at the burning pain, but it
failed to stop him from firing again.

Aim, shoot, hide. Shoot, move, and fire again.

Kirk went on autopilot, repeating his actions without thought, his
senses extremely sensitive. His eyes, ears and the prickling on his neck
told him exactly where the Klingons were, and soon silence reigned in
engineering.

"Spock, where are you?"

"Here, Captain." Spock's voice was weak, but he fought to get to his
feet, and leaned against the same console Kirk had hidden behind only
moments ago.

"Are you hit?"

"Negative."

"Do you think they managed to contact the bridge?"

"I do not believe so."

"Good." Kirk surveyed the room quickly. "There are communicators here.
Can you configure them to be useful to us?"

"Yes, Captain."

"Then do so."

Kirk moved quickly across the room toward the doors. The easiest way to
prevent the Klingons from entering engineering while they were working
was to weld the doors shut. First, Kirk destroyed the opening mechanism,
and then he began to move the beam along the metal.

When Kirk turned his back to the blazing metal, Spock announced, "I have
configured these communicators to alternate between three different
frequencies. They are not common and will allow us to speak freely at
least once per frequency. Do not use the communicator unless you
absolutely must. A'sharon will soon pick up our transmissions."

Kirk nodded.

"I have also checked the cloaking device. The generator for the device
is routed around the bridge. We cannot disable it from engineering."

"How about shields?" Kirk sat on the chair by the computer, watching the
displays. He couldn't make heads or tails of most of it.



"They are still operational."

"Okay. Can we disable them from here?"

"Negative."

"What about the internal sensors?"

"I have rendered them off line. Once you leave engineering, they will
not know where you are."

"All right," Kirk said. "Looks like I'll be paying A'sharon a visit.
Now, we've got to find a place for you to hide."

"There is a space next to the impulse engines," Spock explained. "It is
barely large enough, and the radiation will block ship's sensors once
they realign them."

"Won't the radiation be dangerous for you?"

"It is only harmful after prolonged exposure, Captain."

Kirk nodded curtly. "All right, let's get to work. I have to find the
layout of this ship." His fingers worked across the unfamiliar panel
while he searched for the blueprints. Spock moved to stand beside him.

"They are trying to cut through the door as we speak," the Vulcan warned
calmly. Kirk froze and listened. He could hear the faint sound of a
disrupter attempting to cut through steel.

"Okay, we have to hurry."

"They will soon get through the blocks I have set up in the computer
system," Spock said. "After that, I will not be able to do anything."

"There's the layout of the ship!" Kirk said and pointed to the computer
screen. "Get me a data padd with that, and I'll be out of here."

"One moment, Captain."

"Hurry up, Spock."

Spock's fingers moved across the panel a bit slower than usual. He
paused to think before acting.

"There is a crew complement of twenty-four on this vessel. It is maximum
for a ship this size."

"I wouldn't count on that," Kirk said.

"There is no room for more personnel on this battlecruiser, Captain. I
believe you can safely assume that there are no more than fourteen crew
members left."

"That's still fourteen to one, Spock."

Spock stated matter-of-factly, "With the advantage of darkness your odds
will increase to ten to one."

"That's reassuring, Spock."

"You have beaten worse odds before."

Not without you.

Spock downloaded the ship's schematics onto Kirk's padd, then he turned
to Kirk.

"Shutting down ship's lights will be easy. Just follow these steps. Now
you must assist me in reaching the hiding place." Spock's eyes closed
and his face was ashen.

"Will you be all right?"

"I cannot say. I may feel better once I am able to rest."

They moved slowly across the floor, Spock leaning heavily on his
captain. Kirk heard the disrupter making the first cut all the way
through the metal. Soon, the Klingons would be inside engineering.

Kirk pulled open the compartment behind the impulse engines. Luckily, it
was situated in a very awkward place. Spock nearly stumbled as he tried
to fold his body to crawl inside. Most likely this wasn't a place where
the Klingons would even think to look because of the radiation, and
there was no time to find a better place. Kirk's heart thudded violently
as he looked across engineering, seeing the sparks fly as the cut in the
doors grew larger. The Klingons were already more than halfway through.

With Kirk's assistance, Spock was finally inside. The compartment was
just large enough for him to lie uncomfortably.

"Take care of yourself, Spock," Kirk whispered.

"I shall attempt to do so.Jim."

Kirk swallowed. Impulsively, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to
Spock's. "You'd better," he said and slammed the hatch shut before Spock
had a chance to respond.

Spock had showed him what to do, and with just a few keystrokes, ship's
lights went out. Kirk allowed himself a satisfied grin in the darkness
and put on the goggles he had found in the weapons locker.

They didn't exactly make his vision clear as day, but it was light
enough for him to see his way to the crawlspace he had chosen. Kirk
moved inside, shutting the hatch behind him, and he was on his way
toward the command section of the ship.

END part Three


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