Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters. I am making no money off this.

I.

Jim Kirk was excited. After being stuck on board the Enterprise for a solid two months, he was finally getting to beam down to the planet as part of the away team. He had also asked Spock to come (as he was the science officer), Sulu ( he had some killer sword skills) and Scotty ( who had been complaining to anyone that would listen that he never got to go anywhere, and even on Delta Vega he got to see more than this).

After they had beamed down to the planet they each took out their phasers.

" Everybody stay within eye distance, no wandering off." said Kirk glancing around at the other three.

" Yes Captain." replied Spock, Sulu and Scotty.

Kirk's grin grew, if possible, even wider at the mentioned of the word Captain.

Kirk spun on his heel and turned towards the North, while Spock took the East, Sulu the West and Scotty the South. He had only been walking about fifty paces, when he smelt a sweet smell. Coming to a stop so that he could locate where it was coming from, he turned slightly and made his way over to a bush. Hanging on a bush were the plumpest, reddest berries he had ever seen. Reaching out he picked off the two biggest berries and popped them into his mouth. They were good even if they did leave a slight after taste in his mouth afterwards. He had only walked a few steps when he felt his vision blurred and his legs start to shake. He managed to touch his communicator and say, " Spock I think something's" before he passed out.

Spock quickly turned and headed towards the North as he heard the Captain's laboured breathing through the communicator.

"Spock I think something's" he heard what sounded like a thump as something hit the floor. He sped up and he saw the Captain lying in a crumpled heap on the floor. Keeping a well trained eye out for any hostiles he knelt down by the Captain and placed his fingers on his neck searching for a pulse.

" Commander what happened?" asked Sulu with a frown.

"I didnae see anything attack him." said Scotty.

Ignoring both of the, Spock hit his communicator and said, " Spock to Enterprise. Beam us straight to sickbay. Energise."

When they reappeared they were in sickbay and facing an open mouthed McCoy.

"What happened?" asked McCoy his eyes darting to the prone figure of their Captain.

" We were unable to determine what has happened to him." said Spock carrying Kirk over to the bed and lying him down. He stepped back to allow McCoy room to work.

"It appears he is having an allergic reaction to something." said McCoy frowning slightly. "Did he touched anything on the planet?"

"I am unaware, as we all took different directions in order to explore." replied Spock.

"You never let Jim wander off on his own on an alien planet, he always ends up in trouble. Don't you remember what happened on Delta Vega with those giant ice monsters?" McCoy replied angrily.

Spock opened his mouth to reply when the machines that were hooked up to Jim started beeping wildly.

"Damn it, he's crashing. He is not getting enough air. Bring me 50cc's of adrenaline." shouted McCoy. He jammed the hypospray into the side of Jim's neck and prayed to whatever God that looked after foolhardy Captains that it would be enough.

Kirk felt awareness come to him slowly. He became aware of a soft mattress under him and the slight tang of antiseptic that didn't quite cover up the smell of blood.

"Captain, can you hear me?" asked Spock's voice somewhere to his right.

"Jim, how are you feeling?" asked Bones hovering somewhere by his left ear.

"Like I nearly died." said Kirk dryly.

"Yeah well you nearly did, you had a severe allergic reaction to something on that planet." replied Bones.

" It was probably those two berries that I ate." said Kirk before he could stop himself.

He opened his eyes to see Bones glaring at him, and he knew that unless he did something, he was going to get a hypospray somewhere much worse than in his neck. Trying to ease himself out of his bed without drawing Bones's attention to himself, he looked towards Spock and said,

" I probably shouldn't have touched that."

II.

Kirk sat in his quarters after a very long and trying day. The Enterprise had just saved a planet of Ferengi from total annihilation against some Romulans, and as a thank you, they had presented him with a bottle of their finest alcoholic drink.

He had invited the rest of the bridge crew up to his quarters to drink with him, but they were either on duty or sleeping.

"Oh well. More for me." thought Kirk drinking half the bottle in one go.

He awoke some time later when a loud crash reverberated through the ship. He sat bolt upright in his bed and the empty bottle rolled off his lap and onto the floor, where it smashed into pieces. He didn't even noticed as he scanned his surroundings. He was in an unfamiliar room. Kirk stood up and made his way cautiously to the door, he expected the door to be locked and to his surprise it slid aside with a soft whoosh. Kirk stuck his head out the door and recoiled in horror. He was back on the Romulan ship that had belong to Nero!

"Didn't we blown up that ship?" mused Kirk, but he couldn't deny what his eyes where telling him.

"I must have been captured. I'll make my way to the shuttle bay and fly out from there." he whispered quietly to himself. He heard a beep and he looked down. He realised with a start that he was wearing his communicator device, thinking that they might be able to track him by that, he ripped it off and flung it to the floor.

Spock glanced thoughtfully at the turbo doors that had yet to reveal the Captain. The Captain was over half an hour late for his shift. He touched his communicator and tried to speak in hushed tones, but it didn't matter as the crew had noticed the absence of their Captain and where shooting worried glances at him.

"Doctor please come in." said Spock to his communicator.

"McCoy here." said the Doctor in a brisk manner.

"Doctor, the Captain has yet to show up for the start of his shift. Is he perhaps with you?" inquired Spock.

"No, I haven't seen him since last night." replied McCoy.

"Computer please locate the whereabouts of Captain Kirk." asked Spock.

"Captain Kirk is in his quarters." replied the computer.

"Doctor please meet me outside of the Captain's quarters." said Spock.

"On my way." replied McCoy.

When Spock got to the quarters, McCoy had just turned up as well . Spock pressed the button on the door but it didn't open.

"What's that?" asked McCoy, and Spock turned around and saw him retrieve something off the floor. He held it out for Spock to see.

"It appears to be the Captain's locator." said Spock with a small frown on his face.

"Computer disengage the locks on Captain Kirk's quarters" said Spock in a commanding tone.

The door beeped open and Spock and McCoy entered with their phasers out. Two sets of eyes travelled to the smashed bottle on the floor. Spock kept his eye on the door while McCoy bent down and waved his tricorder over the bottle.

"Its Ferengi," said McCoy, " It must have been the bottle that they gave Jim in gratitude for saving their planet. According to this read out, no liquid was spilt on the floor." he finished.

"Ferengi alcohol is extremely potent, it is only to be drunk in very small amounts." said Spock.

"You mean to say that Jim has drunk the entire bottle in one go?" asked a horrified McCoy.

"Indeed, and he must be suffering from hallucinations. We must find him quick before he does anything to hurt himself." answered Spock.

Spock's communicator beeped as Chekov's voice came through, "Commander, I am detecting unauthorised actiwity in shuttle bay three."

"Seal the doors." replied Spock as he and McCoy ran for the lift.

"I can't Commander. Someone has deactiwted the controls. I'm locked out." replied Chekov.

"We're on our way." said Spock.

Kirk silently congratulated himself on being able to get this far without anybody detecting him. He had managed to disable the controls, so that no one could stop him from leaving. He looked up as he saw two Romulans entering the room. He realised that they were going to stop the doors from opening. He got down off his shuttle.

"Jim its us." said the first Romulan walking towards him slowly with his palms outstretched presumably to show him that he wasn't a threat. "I don't know what your seeing but its me Bones, and Spock." he said pointing to the second Romulan that was trying to close the doors.

With a cry, Kirk picked up a wrench that someone had left lying around and charged towards the second Romulan. He swung the wrench in an arc as the Romulan whirled around and caught the wrench in his hand, while his other hand went to his neck. He felt a sharp pain and he knew no more.

McCoy watched as Jim crumpled to the floor, after Spock had preformed his Vulcan death grip. He waved the tricorder over his prone body.

"He'll be fine as soon as he's slept the drink off." said McCoy with a sigh. "But how are we going to get him back to sickbay?"

"I will be honoured to carry him, Doctor."

When Kirk awoke, his head was pounding and his tongue felt as though it had gone to sleep with a rug on it. He silently thanked whoever it was that had thought to turn the lights down.

"Ah, Jim how are you feeling?" asked Bones.

"Like I have the worst hangover ever." replied Kirk thickly.

"Indeed, Ferengi alcohol is not to be ingested all at once." said Spock, and unless Kirk's mind was deceiving him, Spock actually sounded like he was trying not to laugh.

Bones on the other hand who had no such qualms, was laughing, "Well, try and get some sleep, O fearless leader, you can go back on duty tomorrow." and with that he walked away still laughing.

Kirk looked towards Spock who just raised an eyebrow at him as he said,

"I probably shouldn't have touched that."

III.

Kirk ducked as yet another bolt of enemy fire flew over his head. "Some peaceful planet this turned out to be." thought Kirk sullenly. He turned in time to see a Klingon about to shoot him from behind. As he shot him he noticed that about two feet from where he was sat was a colony of tiny beetles. He watched as a beetle detached itself from the others and walked over to him. Kirk laughed quietly when it looked like the bug had cocked its head to the side to look at him. He reached out a finger with the purpose of stoking the beetle when it reached up and bit his finger.

"OW." said Kirk loudly. Forgetting for a moment that he was in the middle of a battle he stood up angrily only to feel an arm pulling him down roughly.

"Captain, I suggest that you do not present yourself as such an easy target, or the enemy will have no problem in killing you." said Spock somewhat sternly.

"Oh right, of course the Klingons." said Kirk airily.

"I suggest that we leave this place as soon as possible." said Spock.

"I couldn't agree with you more, Mr Spock." replied Kirk.

"Mr Scott?" inquired Spock into his communicator.

"Aye Commander." came the Scottish voice from the other end.

"Four to beam up." Spock replied.

"Right ya are laddie." said Scotty.

Kirk turned and could only stare in horror. As he disappeared he saw a Klingon take aim and shoot.

McCoy was waiting silently in the transporter room as four people began to materialises on the pad. He cast a sharp critical eye over all the four people before his eyes travelled back to Jim. He seemed to be standing strangely and he looked surprised.

"Jim are you alright?" asked McCoy loudly enough to stop the other occupants of the room in the middle of their conversations.

Jim didn't answer as he took one shaky step forward. Before his foot had even touched the ground he crumpled to the floor. It was only the quick actions of Spock that stopped Jim from hitting his head on the corner of the transporter.

" He's been shot!" said McCoy glancing across at Spock.

"He was fine just before we beamed up." said Sulu.

"It must have occurred just as we were beaming up." said Spock.

" Let's get him to sickbay." answered McCoy.

When Kirk awoke he realised two things at once. One, he really hated hospitals and two, his arm was killing him. He rubbed at it ruefully.

"Well, if you are going to play target practice with a bunch of angry Klingons, you should remember to duck." said Bones walking towards him with a PADD in his hand.

Kirk just glared at Bones. Seeming not to notice the anger coming towards him from the young Captain, he carried on studying the device.

"Well, you obviously won't be able to use your arm for about two days. So I'm standing you down from duty." said Bones.

"But Bones." began Kirk.

"No buts, its only for two days and I'm the doctor, so unless you want me to make it two weeks, you'd better listen to me, alright?" said Bones with a glare.

"Fine." grumbled Kirk.

Kirk glanced around his quarters sullenly. Two days stretched in front of him like an eternity. He wasn't even allowed on the bridge or Bones would keep him confined to sickbay.

"Kirk….. Kirk." said a voice interrupting him from his thoughts. He spun around wildly. There was no one in the room apart from himself.

"Computer whose was that voice?" asked Jim.

"I detect no other voices than your own Captain." replied the Computer.

Thinking no more of it, he decided to write up some of his reports for Starfleet.

He was so engrossed in his work, that at first he didn't notice the voice.

"Kirk, go to engineering and disable the controls to your ships shields." said the voice.

Kirk got up and headed for the door.

"And don't be seen." added the voice.

When he got to engineering he saw Scotty hovering near a terminal.

"Alright, laddie, how are ye doing?" asked Scotty when he saw Kirk standing there.

"Act natural," said the voice, " get rid of him."

"Not to bad, Mr Scott, not to bad." replied Kirk. " I need you to go to sickbay. There has been bouts of illnesses going around and I need our Chief engineer to be at his best."

"I'll go after my shift." said Scotty.

"No, now please Mr Scott." replied Kirk sharply.

Scotty gave him a look and walked towards the door.

"Disable the shields." said the voice as soon as he had gone.

"Scotty to Commander Spock." Spock touched the communicator and replied, "go ahead Mr Scott."

"It's the Captain, I think there's something wrong with him, he just ordered me out of engineering."

"Commander someone has just disabled our shields." said Chekov.

"Mr Chekov. Check to see where it originated from." replied Spock, who had an idea who was behind it.

"From engineering Commander."

" Chekov, do everything you can to get those shields back on line. Mr Sulu you have the conn."

"Aye Sir." replied Chekov and Sulu together.

"Doctor please meet me at engineering." said Spock.

"Be there in five." came the reply.

"What's wrong?" asked McCoy when they had met up.

"The Captain has disabled our shields." answered Spock gravely.

They walked through the doors as quietly as they could.

"Captain?" called Spock quietly.

"I won't let you stop me Spock." replied Jim in an edgy voice.

"Why did you disable the shields, Jim?" asked McCoy.

" Because they told me too?" said Jim.

Spock waved his hand at Bones in the gesture to keep him talking. Spock slipped away between the machinery.

"Who told you too?" asked Bones confused.

"The Klingons. They speak to me, they tell me to help them and I will be rewarded." replied Jim, coming into view.

McCoy recoiled slightly as he saw him. Jim was pale and sweating. His hands were shaking and there were dark circles under his eyes.

"Help them do what?" said Bones.

"Take over the ship, and no one will stop me." said Jim raising his phaser straight at Bones.

But before he could shoot, a hand shot out and gripped his neck and he fell to the floor.

Spock reached out and placed his fingers at the pressure points on Jim's face. He closed his eyes as the sights from the mind meld filled his vision.

"A Klingon beetle has attached itself to the Captain's brainstem." said Spock opening his eyes.

Bones touched his communicator, " Sickbay, ready the operating room."

When Kirk awoke again in the hospital he sighed loudly.

"I believe that the Captain is now awake." said Spock.

"What happened?" asked Kirk looking towards Spock.

"When you were on the planet, did something happen to bite you?" asked Spock.

"Yes, a beetle, I tried to stroke it. Why?" asked Kirk.

"Well it burrowed into your brain and attached itself to you brainstem. Klingons use them to great effect to subdue an enemy. It only takes one in a person's head to wipe out a civilisation." said Spock.

"Is that what I was doing?" asked Kirk.

" Yes, they most likely wanted the Enterprise." replied Spock.

Kirk looked towards Bones, who looked like he was about to explored. "You tried to stroke it?" he bellowed angrily.

"I probably shouldn't have touch that." said Kirk sheepishly.

IV.

Jim Kirk was slightly annoyed. For the past four days, the Enterprise had been host to a party of Klingons and Romulans. The Enterprise had been declared neutral ground, so peace talks between the two species could get under way. On the first day alone he had twenty five reports of accidents involving Klingons and Romulans. The worst being a broken hand and the minor being a bruised ego, when a Romulan had 'accidentally' smacked a Klingon on the back of the head in the canteen, thus ensuing many heated comments about Romulan mothers. It was only the swift intervention of Spock that had stopped it from getting out of hand.

He sighed in relief as he realised that tomorrow, the Klingons and the Romulans were going back to their own planets to discuss matters there with their own leaders. He sat up straighter in his chair, with the sole purpose of getting up to get more alcohol, when his eyes fell on a box that had been placed on his table. He searched his memory but he couldn't remember if the box had been there earlier. Walking over to it, he took off the lid and placed it on the floor. Inside the box was a device with one very large green button inside. He reached out absent-mindedly and press it down. All of a sudden, bright red numbers began to count down from thirty minutes in Klingon.

"Oh crap." said Kirk.

Kirk knew that there was no time to waste, he had already wasted a minute staring open mouthed at it, and if truth be told, also a few seconds wrestling with the idea to wave his arms around in the air whilst running around his quarters screaming, "we're all going to die." He calmly thought and in the next second he was walking out of his quarters with the bomb tucked neatly under his arm.

He walked onto the Bridge and glanced around until he found who he was looking for. Walking purposefully towards him, Kirk stopped about two feet away from Spock.

"Captain are you well? Your heart rate is elevated." asked Spock.

Instead of answering him, Kirk took off the lid and showed him the bomb. Spock's mouth fell open into a surprised 'O'. It would have looked comical, if the situation wasn't so dire.

Ten minutes later Kirk was standing in the transporter room with Bones, Spock, Sulu and Chekov.

"Keptain, the only way zat this will work is if someone stays inside the transporter room and pushes the energise button at one second." said Chekov ringing his hands together in a nervous gesture.

"Klingon bombs were designed to blow up if there is an attempt to remove it." said Spock " only at one second when we have nothing left to lose would it seem logical to attempt to beam it out." he finished.

"That's absurd man," shouted Bones "what your talking about is a suicide mission. Who is going to be dumb enough to stay behind?"

"I will." replied Kirk looking at each of them in turn.

"No Jim." said Bones.

"Captain it is unlikely that you will survive." said Spock.

" I'll do it." chorused Sulu and Chekov.

"No I am the Captain and I will see it through to the end." replied Kirk gravely. "Besides Spock, didn't you once say that the purpose of tests is to experience fear, fear in the face of certain death. To accept that fear, and maintain control of oneself and ones crew, that that is a quality expected in every Starfleet Captain."

Spock looked annoyed to have his own words repeated back at him.

"Keptain the device is now at five minutes." said Chekov behind him.

"Alright everybody out." said Kirk. When no one moved, Kirk felt his heart swell with pride at the loyalty of his crew. " That's an order gentlemen." he said softly. "Mr Spock if something happens to me your in charge. Mr Sulu your first officer."

"Yes Sir." said Sulu.

Kirk started heading towards the door, pushing the other four in front of him. He watched as the door slid shut behind them, but still none of them moved. They would stay close by until the end.

He turned around and walked over to the device. "Only one minute left." he thought to himself. The words that Pike had said to him more than three years ago came back to him, " Your father was Captain of a Starship for 12 minutes. He saved eight hundred lives. I dare you to do better."

Kirk smiled to himself, he had been a Captain for six months and he was going to save a thousand lives, but not his own because after all everyone knew that a Captain cannot cheat death.

He looked up at his crew standing outside the door, as the last ten seconds counted down. He gave them a brief smile, before turning back to the console, and at the last second he pushed the button. He saw a white flash before he went slamming into the wall behind him.

Spock looked on in horror as the Captain gave them a brief smile before turning back to concentrate on the control panel. He watched as the bomb disappeared in a flash of white light and the Captain was thrown backwards into the wall, where he lay at the bottom unmoving. All four of them charged into the room, with the Doctor in front. He dropped down to the floor and frantically felt for a pulse.

"He's alive." said McCoy with a look of relief on his face.

"He must have just caught the end of the blast." said Spock.

"Let's move him to sickbay." replied McCoy.

When Jim awoke he was glad. He had honestly thought that the kid's endless supply of nine lives had ran out. He would never forget the feeling of despair as he had watched Jim getting thrown into a wall by a bomb blast and lying there. He came up to the bed as Spock was filling him in on his investigation.

" It appears that the Klingons were unaware as to how one of their bombs had found its way onto the Enterprise. They have promised a full investigation. It is logical to assume that they planned to ruin the peace talks by taking out the neutral location." said Spock.

McCoy watched as Jim slowly processed this.

"What I'd like to know is how they managed to activate the bomb when they were so far away." said McCoy thoughtfully, looking at Jim.

McCoy narrowed his eyes as Jim began to fidget in his bed.

"You didn't?" said Bones in astonishment.

"I probably shouldn't have touched that but," began Jim.

V.

" Captain please come in." said a voice over the communicator.

Kirk opened his eyes and looked around his room in confusion, until his eyes came to rest on his communication device sat on his table next to his bed.

"Kirk here." he said tapping the device.

"Captain your presence is required on the bridge immediately." said Spock's voice.

"I'm on my way." replied Kirk.

Clutching a streaming cup of coffee in one hand and a half eaten bagel in the other, Kirk walked onto the bridge. At once every officer on the bridge jumped up and snapped to attention.

"At ease gentlemen." said Kirk waving a two finger salute at them that didn't quite make it to a standard salute. "Oh and lady." he said as he spotted Uhura in the corner.

"What's shaking Spock?" asked Kirk as he sat down in his chair and fixed his first officer with a stare.

" I have detected no sudden surges Captain, but I will check again if you wish." said a puzzled Spock.

"No Spock its just a figure of speech. It means what's going on?" explained Kirk.

"Well Captain. We have come across a ship floating in space. Scans indicate that there are no life forms on board, but there is something that is emitting a high energy blast." said Spock

"Right so what should we do?" said Kirk slightly confused.

"Someone will need to beam over and have a look at the device. Life support will only sustain one person." replied Spock.

"I will go." said Kirk.

"Captain there is no logical reason for you to go. Someone from the away team can handle it." responded Spock.

"Whoever goes over there will be without backup," said Kirk " I will go."

Twenty minutes later, Kirk stood on the pad waiting to beam over. He looked at his second in command who was watching him silently.

"Mr Spock. If you do not hear from me in fifteen minutes, then try and beam me back on board. If that fails then under no circumstances is anybody to come over and get me. I will not risk another life." said Kirk.

"I understand Captain." answered Spock.

"Scotty, if you would do the honours please." Kirk said gesturing to the controls.

"Aye Captain." replied Scotty, "energise."

When Kirk's vision cleared he found that he was in a two manned space craft. He immediately began to look around for the device, It was nestled by the Captain's chair and the control panel. He knelt down and began to tug the device free. He gave one huge heave and it came free with a loud popping sound. He gave a low chuckle as he stood up. He felt his hand move a little, and he looked down in horror. He had just accidentally pressed the warp drive button.

Back on board the Enterprise, Spock was silently congratulating himself on being able to wait the full fifteen minutes. They were unable to contact the Captain and Spock was starting to think that something was wrong with the situation.

"Commander I am detecting a power surge from the other wessel. It appears to be entering warp speed.." said Chekov from the controls.

"Can you stop it?" asked Spock.

"I'm sorry Commander, he's gone." replied Chekov, looking out at the space where their Captain had just been.

As the ship entered warp speed, all Kirk could do was to watch as he left the Enterprise behind. All of a sudden the ship came to a jarring halt and he was slammed against the controls. A voice rang out in the ship.

"To those that have killed us. Before we die, we are planting a sub routine in the memory. If you activate the controls, then the ship will immediately begin to transport you to our home world where you will be judged and sentenced to death."

"But I didn't kill you." shouted Kirk angrily. Looking at the controls he resolved not to give up with out a fight.

Two hours later and all he had found was a new level of frustration. On the plus side his oxygen supply would run out long before he reached the planet.

Spock glanced up from his computer screen, which he had spent the last two hours looking at. Most of the bridge crew were trying to plot the course of the ship, to see where it might end up. So far they had come up with nothing and he knew the Captain's time would nearly be up.

Kirk knew he was going to die. It was the moment that he looked up and saw his father sitting across from him that he knew.

"Hello son." said his father.

"How are you here?" asked Kirk in confusion.

"Your oxygen is running out, so your mind conjured up me to sit with you until you fall asleep." replied his father.

Kirk knew that he should get up and try to figure out how to escape, but he was to tired. He closed his eyes and waited for the end.

"Commander I've got it." shouted Sulu.

Spock got up from his seat and quickly made his way to the front.

"I was able to track down the number off the side of the ship. It belongs to a Romulan vessel that was attacked two months ago, both occupants were killed. I bet that's were the ship is heading." said Sulu triumphantly.

"Set a course for the Romulan home world." said Spock. "Keep all frequencies and channels open, if we fly passed the shuttle we need to know."

"Yes Commander." said Sulu.

Pulling out of warp three minutes later everybody could see the ship up ahead.

"I will prepare for an away mission." said Spock immediately, as he moved towards the door, "Mr Sulu you have the conn."

"Yes Sir." replied Sulu but Spock was already gone

"Now when you get over there, make sure you give this hypospray in his neck and give him some oxygen." said McCoy.

"I understand Doctor." said Spock pulling on his space suit helmet. "We will beam directly to sickbay. Energise."

When his vision cleared Spock glanced around. He moved over to the prone figure on the floor.

"Captain. Captain, can you hear me?" he placed his fingers on the young man's neck and was relieved to find a pulse. He jabbed the hypospray into the side of his neck and placed the oxygen mask over his face.

"Enterprise beam us to sickbay." said Spock.

When nothing happened, Spock looked around. His gaze fell on the device.

"Perhaps its blocking our communications." thought Spock as he took out his phaser and fired twice.

"Enterprise beam us to sickbay." repeated Spock and with a sigh he saw the familiar bright lights around them.

Jim felt light and carefree. He looked around him, but all he could see was a white haze. He calmly walked towards the opposite end where he could see a door.

"Captain?" said a voice.

Jim looked around but he couldn't see anything so he carried on walking.

"Captain, you must stay." said the voice again.

"Spock?" asked Jim uncertainly.

"Captain do not give up, we have found you and the Doctor is fighting to save your life. You must fight as well." said Spock.

"But its to hard." replied Jim tiredly.

"Jim please. We need you." said Spock anxiously.

Startled by Spock's use of his first name, Jim took a step back and walked into a blinding flash of light.

Jim awoke to voices, or, to be more specific, two voices.

"He was on that ship with hardly any air, and he died for ten minutes." said a distressed voice which Kirk recognised as Bones. "we have to be prepared for there to be some sort of brain damage."

"Hey, my brain works just fine, thank you very much." said Kirk indignantly. The curtains were pulled back to reveal Bones and Spock.

"My name is Jim Kirk. I'm twenty six and Captain of the USS Enterprise. Your Bones and he's Spock." said Kirk before Bones could open his mouth.

"Good, there was no permanent damage done." said Bones with a grin.

"I died for ten minutes?" asked Kirk.

"Yup, if it wasn't for Spock doing a mind meld and anchoring your consciousness to your body you would definitely be dead," said Bones.

"Wow thanks Spock. I own you one." said Kirk gratefully.

"You are welcome Captain, but your gratitude is unnecessary." replied Spock.

"Well thank you anyway." said Kirk.

"So what happened this time?" asked a weary Bones with a sigh.

"Well I probably shouldn't have touch that." started Kirk.

VI.

Jim Kirk hated it when the situation got away from him, and this was definitely one of those times. Him and Spock had beamed down to the planet four days ago to meet with the peaceful Morrose people. They had welcomed them like long lost family and had offered them food and shelter. It all had changed that morning when the Morrose leader Chiac and the High priest were showing them around their most sacred temple.

He had seen the artefact on the pedestal. It was a yellow skull made out of sandstone, not unlike the crystal skulls that had been found on Earth centuries ago. He had walked up and ran his finger down the cheek, as he explained about Earth's crystal skulls being a teleportation device. He had turned around to see Chiac and the High priest glaring at him in shock as a force field sprang up around them.

They only shouted "Guards seize them." before they were dragged away.

Jim looked up as his cell door opened. In the doorway stood the Morrose leader Chiac. He swaggered into the cell.

"Are you ready to talk, Devil?" asked Chiac.

"I am no Devil," said Kirk " and neither is my friend. We are peaceful human explorers from the planet Earth." he said emphasising the word human.

"It is unfortunate for you that I do not believe you." said Chiac with a smile. Turning around he beckoned someone into the room. "You may proceed." said Chiac as he left the room.

The beatings had gone on for what seemed like an eternity. The days and hours had blended into one and every time he had fallen into a fitful sleep, someone had thrown a cold bucket of water over him and kicked him violently in the ribs to wake him up.

"We know your in league with the Devil." Chiac had said during one of the many torture sessions. "For only he would have been able to touch the artefact. If evil had touched it they are immediately imprisoned within a force field. Therefore you are evil. Everyone knows that the Devil is slow-witted and I am cleverer than you, for I have outsmarted you. Oh, imagine the glory and honour." he said smugly. " People will worship me and call me their God." he deduced "You will be sentenced to death by hanging tomorrow at noon." he said happily " with or without your confession." he said bending down so that he was face to face with him. Kirk drew his head back and spat in his face.

It was worth the beatings to see the look of disgust on Chiac's face.

"You'll die first." he promised as he left the cell.

Jim glanced to his right. Spock was standing about six feet from where he was. Which gave him plenty of time to assess his condition. Where as he didn't look as bad as Kirk felt, he could still see that he had suffered. Spock raised his head as if sensing someone watching him, and looked towards him. Kirk gave Spock a reassuring smile as he looked towards the podium.

"For the crime of being in league with the Devil, there is only one sentence I can pass, and that is, you shall be hung by the neck until dead." shouted Chiac so that all the villagers could hear him. He looked towards them and Kirk knew he was about to die. The jailer had his hand on the lever when a phaser rang out and hit the jailer in the chest causing him to stumble backwards.

"Nobody move." shouted an angry voice.

Not believing his luck at being alive, Kirk looked towards the voice. His heart soared as he saw Sulu, Chekov, Scotty and six of the security detail pushing their way towards them.

"Are you alright Captain?" asked Sulu standing in front of him.

"I am now Mr Sulu. Please lets get out of here."

"Right away Captain." said Sulu cutting the rope away from his neck.

Bones paced worriedly back and forth in the transporter room. The away team had beamed down to the surface twenty minutes ago. The Enterprise had spent six days searching the planet for any signs of Jim and Spock, but they had never found any. They had asked the Morrose leader Chiac, but he had been adamant that he had seen them both beam back up. By chance they had picked up the tiniest of flickers on the ships detectors and the away team had immediately left.

His hart beat rose as he saw the familiar white haze as some of the away team materialised on the pad, Jim and Spock among them.

"Jim, Spock." shouted Bones racing towards them.

"Ah, Bones. Its so great to hear your voice." said Jim tiredly.

"You too kid. What happened?" he asked gently.

"Did you know that it is punishable by death to touch the Morrose's sacred artefact." replied Jim wobbling slightly.

"Let's get you both to sickbay." said Bones.

Spock felt ashamed. It wasn't the first time he had felt this emotion, but it was the first time he felt it this strongly.

He walked towards his Captain's bed, and was relieved to see him propped up in bed talking to the Doctor.

"And then he lent in close and I spat in his face." said the Captain in triumphant waving his hand around in a flourish.

"You didn't?" said the Doctor in astonishment.

"I did." replied the Captain indignantly.

They both glanced up as Spock stopped by the bed.

"I'll give you some privacy." said the Doctor leaving.

"Mr Spock. What can I do for you?" asked the Captain happily. As he rubbed his neck, Spock could see the angry red rope burns from the hanging rope.

Spock looked at him in confusion. How could he do anything while he was confined to his bed? He opened his mouth to ask him, when the Captain said, "it's a figure of speech Spock."

"I understand" said Spock, " I have come to resign as your second in command and science officer. I leave for Earth in the morning."

"Yes I know," he replied calmly, "that's why I have cancelled the shuttle and torn up your resignation papers. Spock, these things are going to happen. We are going to meet people that might not like us or feel threatened by us. But you are one of my best friends, and friends always watch each other's backs. We are a team now," said the Captain.

"But I am the reason you have to be fed through a drip because you can not swallow." said Spock.

"No. The Morrose people are the reason, not you. We need you Spock. I need you." said the Captain in a quite voice.

"Alright, it will be more logical for me to stay." said Spock. " I am truly sorry for endangering your life. And I realise now that I probably should not have touched that."

A.N. References to the Devil were taken from Cassell's Dictionary of Superstitions by David Pickering, again I am making no profit from this, and it does not belong to me.