13Author's Note: I'm finding these characters harder and harder to write, needing to watch the movie again :)
Also: loving the reviews! Keeps me motivated to write more!
And now:
She heard sounds coming from her left, but discerning its source was impossible, she couldn't listen past her pounding head.
"Where am I?" she tried to say, but her mouth felt like it had been relocated. Her eyes fluttered, letting in a little light, sending the waves of pain rolling through her head at a supersonic rate.
A deep voice finally penetrated the fog.
"That's final. She helped kidnap you, Jim. Until we know more about her violent streak, she stays bound to the bed."
Lissa felt the pressure increase on her wrist, feeling slightly warmed metal enclose her, encaging her. She willed her body to fight but the response was nil and the frustration sent pulses of pain through her head, only ceasing when she relaxed'.
"She can't hurt me now, I'm.." the familiar voice said.
"I'm not talking about you. Do you know the kind of damage she could do to this medical bay, much less to me and my people?" The indignation was forceful, much less humorous. Lissa finally realized she was conscious enough to open her eyes without feeling like her head would split open. Nausea passed, and she looked over at the two men, the captain had his back to her, but the doctor noticed immediately.
"The vixen awakes." he muttered as he approached her bedside, scanner in hand. "How are you feeling?" His gruff manner somewhat intimidating, but then he was hardly paying attention to anything but the scanner.
Her mouth engaged, finally, "I don't know." She tried hard to feel how her body was reacting but nothing seemed to feel painful.
The captain backed away, letting the doctor be alone with his patient.
"Well, considering you've been living on a planet that oxidizes your body faster then earth, you're lucky you kidnapped the Captain when you did. It's still reversible."
Lissa's jaw went slack as she stumbled trying to ask more, but the doctor continued on, ignoring the unspoken question.
"BUt don't worry about the shot to your gut. Fixed it up just fine, just don't go around doing any sit ups or anything, the pain killers are masking the reconstruction I had to do. Take it easy."
"That won't be too difficult." she pulled against her restraint.
"You're lucky you aren't in the brig." the man's voice got deeper, with a twang that reminded Lissa of a great uncle she once stayed with in the midwestern North American continent. She let her retort fall flat, knowing that angering this man more would not be wise.
"Sorry," his gruffness sliding a little at the sight of her face. She didn't know that she was displaying her intimidation that clearly, must be the meds.
He continued, "I just don't take it lightly when..."
"McCoy." Kirk appeared behind him, "Let her be. Sorry." he flashed her a grin.
"Ok." McCoy took a small needle and pricked her finger, then left with a small sample of her blood.
"Sorry." Kirk repeated, "He's... temperamental, but a great guy once you get to know him. How are you?"
"You inquire as to my well-being, when a couple hours ago, you didn't trust anything about me."
"You took a shot for me."
She leaned back into the bed, "I didn't."
"Intentional or not, it was aimed at me. If you are a spy for them, you're hardcore. Not that you aren't hardcore, but..." his voice trailed off as she grinned. "Gotta start trusting somewhere." His blue eyes sparkled.
"Kirk. Over here?" McCoy barked. It was a question voiced as a demand.
"Be right back." he left and Lissa watched the surly doctor show something to Kirk, his arms waving and Kirk's face registering shock. Her mind jumped to the worst possible conclusion, was she dying?
Kirk strode over, McCoy sprinted to keep up.
"Melissa Hazel Armstrong?"
Xxxx
Watching the pale, exhausted girl switch to an edgy aggressive woman in the course of a few uttered syllables was fascinating to the cantankerous doctor, but even more so was the readout sheet in his hand.
"Maybe." the innocence in her voice previously was replaced with a hard acerbity, but the growing discomfort was prominent in her tone.
"When were you going to mention the small fact that you are a daughter of an ambassador from earth?"
"I wasn't." Resignation hung in the words, but McCoy didn't think she'd give that easy, there was still a fire in her eyes.
"And what is this about being kidnapped?" he snapped, too impatient for Kirk to ask, too curious to find out the truth. He studied her reaction, her fair skin paling even more, her gray eyes widening at this fact. She was unaware of it all.
Kirk stepped back, his face lost in thought, then he turned and whispered into McCoy's ear.
"Is it possible its Stroughausen Syndrome?"
"Stockholm? No." McCoy backed away a few steps. "She seems fully aware of her situation, neither is she loyal to her hostage-taker. Generally that takes place as a defense mechanism to cope with cognitive dissonance."
"In English, Doc."
"No, she seems to have no connection to those terrorists other than willfully being there, and when she felt they were wrong, she left. That wouldn't happen..."
"Then why is there that notice on the air? Why would she..."
"I can still hear you, you know." she grumbled.
"Then you explain it to us." McCoy spat.
"I can't."
"Then the next option is taking you back." Kirk stated, and if McCoy had thought she'd changed fast before, she turned into a sand badger from back home. Before his eyes, he watched her slip her hand through the cuff binding her to the bed, and leap away from them.
The painkillers were really working.
McCoy started forward, grabbing for her, Kirk trying to cut her off, but she jumped over another empty bed, gaining valuable distance between them. She had loose smocks on, not the typical gown, and for that Bones was thankful. He'd hate to have to chase after a half-dressed girl, well, this girl, half-dressed.
She grabbed a IV hanger and brandished it in an aggressive stance, swinging it toward the approaching Kirk.
"Hey! Is that how you treat.." he broke off as she took another jab at him, then shoving a whole medicine tray at him. McCoy spun around, searching for the drawer he needed. Trying to find the right hypo-needle, he shifted as quickly through it, mentally cursing himself for not organizing it sooner. Damn nurses needed to restock in a more organized fashion. Grabbing the right one, he spun back to see her wield a nice roundhouse kick to Kirk. So much for taking it easy. He ran toward her in time for her to bring her knee into Kirk's groin. He went down hard, and McCoy grimaced, as he ran in with the needle held high, but she grabbed the IV pole from off the floor and brought it around to hit him in the side. Pain manifested itself in his kidneys, spreading out, and partially immobilizing him, enough for her to step over him and run.
Kirk reached for his comm, "Patient loose from Medical Bay, repeat patient loose. 20's woman light brown hair. Bring her back." his voice was tight, trying not to disclose the pain over the PA system." he looked over at McCoy as he struggled to stand. "Let's go get her."
Growling, McCoy hauled himself to his feet. "Didn't see that coming." He grabbed the dropped hypodermic needle, and chased after Kirk.
Xxxx
She headed up the brightly lit hallway, desperate for some darkness, something to shield her from her pursuers. Skipping into a transport, she selected the engine room. Plenty of things to hide from there. The doors opened revealing two surprised rookies. Taking that to her advantage, she barreled her way through them, sliding down the railing instead of taking the steps, and sprinting across the catwalk. The two men spun and started chasing her. She vaulted herself onto the railing and dropped a good 8 feet to the walkway below. Rolling into the fall, she righted herself and ran. Ignoring the twinges and spasms in her stomach and now her ankle, she skidded around a corner and backed into the darkness.
The one problem with running on a ship, there is no where to go. Kicking herself, she should not have run until they got back, no reason to set them on the defensive. She knew that her flight was instinctive, but she couldn't help feeling she blew it.
She breathed through her mouth, making sure harsh breathing wouldn't be heard, as she felt the heavy footfalls of boot clad recruits.
"Where did she go?"
"Is that who the captain warned about?"
"How the heck do I know? Just find the stupid girl, she could do a hell of a lot of trouble in here."
Her hackles went up at the comment, but she stayed put, knowing her temper would flare faster with the adrenaline pumping through her veins.
She heard him report in that she had been sighted in this area, and suddenly the urge to pee overwhelmed her. Wincing, she moved cautiously, hoping the sensation would lessen. It did the opposite. Gritting her teeth, she tried to not squirm.
The footsteps moved away from her, and she sucked in a deeper breath than she had been taking.
Images started flashing in her memories, dragged up by the very invasive connection to the Vulcan. She tried to push them away, but at this moment, exhaustion, narcotics, and adrenaline mixed together to a very dangerous concoction of open mindedness.
"What!?" She yelped.
"I'm sorry dear, but they are ruling it accidental."
"I saw him die! By the hands of that, that..." the terms she wished to use were too harsh to use in the presence of her father.
"You were too far away to see it clearly." He refused to look her in the eye, busying himself with papers on his ornate desk.
"I know what I saw, I also know a cover up when I see one. That man is the son of Admiral, but that doesn't mean he gets special treatment." She paced as she spoke, anger making each step heavier.
"Don't even start that. I'm sorry that Kyle is gone, but you must not throw out accusations without substance." He chided her.
"I have it. Kyle was looking into a drug ring, he needed one bit of information before going to the school officials, and he found it, and it got him killed by the head guy. Can't you see it?" She stopped pacing and leaned onto the desk, looking her father in the eyes, gray matching gray in coldness.
"Why can't you let bygones be bygones? Move on."
"Move on." she pulled back, words slapping hard than a hand could. "He was my fiancé and you want me to just forget it?"
"Your heart was leading you down the wrong path. Now, I know it hurts, but you can now do what you meant to do." He dismissed her with a flick of his hand.
She ignored it. "Wrong path? I was headed down it before I met him. He straightened me out. Made me have dreams again, and leave behind the ruckus I was apart of before."
"I'm about to be contacted by the Head Councilman of Nearanna. Please, let me prepare."
The familiar growl of Dr. McCoy sounded out, pulling her from her memories.
"Here she is."