Title: The Boy and the Sea Dragon (13/14)
Author: klmeri
Fandom: Star Trek AOS
Characters: Kirk, Spock, McCoy
Summary: On an away mission, Captain Kirk encounters an old friend he hasn’t thought of in years. Unfortunately, their meeting is less than fortuitous and bodes ill for the rest of Jim’s crew.
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Part Thirteen

“I am really starting to hate this planet,” mutters the Captain.

The First Officer makes no comment, merely continues scanning the surrounding area for life-forms. Kirk gestures for his team of officers to fan out in formation, Captain Kirk in the lead. Spock walks steadily north and they follow.

“Captain,” calls the Vulcan as his stride pauses. “I am picking up faint waves of activity approximately nine hundred meters from our position.”

“What sort of activity?”

“I cannot clarify these readings without more equipment. However, were we to compare the energy fluctuations on the surface with those we experienced prior to the Doctor’s capture, there is a high probability that they will match. I made detailed notes of the Enterprise’s power surges while you assembled and briefed the security team.” Spock looks up from his tricorder. “It seemed unlikely that the entity would transport McCoy and itself without creating a physical trace of the phenomenon.”

“Good work, Mr. Spock.”

Spock says nothing on that account. Despite Jim’s words, they both won’t consider their mission successful until McCoy is returned to the ship and the Enterprise is across the galaxy.

For the umpteenth time, Jim wonders what is happening with McCoy, feels sincere dread at the possibilities. He purposefully switches his phaser to a high setting and keeps going.

Bones, thinks Kirk. Hold on. We’re coming.

Leonard digs a stick into the dirt with vicious stabs. “Fuck you,” he says clearly. “Fuck you, fuck this planet, and fuck the idea that your creepy ass could have an ounce of decency!”

The sea dragon seems not to care how seriously angry McCoy is right at this moment. It sits on top of an outcropping of rocks, silent and looming like a predator.

Well Leonard is damn tired of being prey.

He tosses the stick away, which does nothing to relieve his temper, and stands, slapping at his dirt-covered pants and cursing. “Congratulations. You’ve successfully screwed yourself over. At this rate, you’ll be mining dilithum for eternity.” With a sharp bark of laughter, he adds, “And that’s if Jim doesn’t turn you into lizard stew first.”

You killed hatchling.

He swallows the guilt lingering in his throat. “I defended myself.”

To hurt one hurts all.

The words penetrate his mind like sharp spikes. Leonard flinches. He tries to calm himself by walking away. Unfortunately, as he has already tried this tactic, he can only go so far out before he hits an invisible barrier. The first time he had been running and almost broken his nose upon impact.

The man is trapped, walking in circles.

“Damn it!” Finally, tired and still angry, he goes back to the rocks and looks up at the creature. “Why did you let your hatchling hurt us in the first place?”

It not hurt.

“There are men in my medical bay to attest otherwise. They are alive, granted, but not living. It did that to them.” He sucks in a breath. “Or was that you?”

No.

“Then how can you possibly hold the Enterprise crew accountable for trying to protect each other? You came onboard and terrorized us; you impersonated the Captain and the First Officer.”

Silence meets his accusations.

“I thought so. You’re selfish like all the other fiends we’ve tangled with. You don’t care what you do to others. You’ll kill us to get what you want.” He crosses his arms to hide the shaking of his hands. “So the question is: what are you going to do now?”

Leonard braces himself for the answer, knowing full well that it intends to harm him. Why else bring the doctor to the surface?

Of course, it hasn’t killed him yet.

I wait.

There’s a hysterical bubble in the back of his throat.

“Excuse me?”

Wait, it says. They are coming.

He turns his head in the direction which the sea dragon is gazing. At the sudden bright blur in the distance, Leonard’s heart begins to pound hard.

Oh fucking Hell. Despite the inexplicable dryness of his mouth, McCoy asks again, “What are you going to do?”

It doesn’t answer.

He hesitates only a moment before launching himself onto the first rock. If it won’t willingly answer him, Leonard will shake the words from the bastard. Or maybe try to distract it. Leonard has never been surer in his life that when the group headed their way arrives, this terrible, remorseless thing will enact its revenge.

“Spock!” Jim does a short jog to come level with the Vulcan. “What’s that?”

The First Officer shades his eyes against the glare of the sun. “It appears that we have found the source of the energy readings, Captain.”

Kirk takes one step forward. “Is that—”

“Doctor McCoy? Yes.”

“How did he get up there?”

Spock wonders instead why the rock formation is isolated on the long stretch of flat land. A sense of disquiet grows as he, the Captain, and the security officers approach with caution. They are close enough now that it is apparent the doctor is hailing them. The Vulcan stops, then, and cocks an ear to listen.

Kirk turns to him with an unspoken question in his eyes.

“Captain, it is… illogical that I cannot perceive the doctor’s shouts.”

Jim glances ahead of them, weighing the distance between them and the outcrop of rock and McCoy. “Yes, Mr. Spock, that is strange. Men, phasers at the ready.”

“Damn it all to hell! Jim, Spock, you fools! GO BACK!”

The moment he had climbed within an arm’s length of the creature, it had shimmered and disappeared like a mirage. Leonard kept going until he reached the top. With precarious balance, he set about warning his friends with all his might.

They can’t hear him.

Of course, they can’t. The stupid monster has probably made the invisible barrier soundproof. Leonard is in a bubble all by himself, waiting for the Enterprise crewmen to step right inside. Then everybody will die, no doubt.

“SPOCK, I SWEAR TO GOD IF YOU CAN’T HEAR THIS, YOU’RE NOT ALLOWED TO GLOAT ABOUT YOUR SUPER POINTY EARS EVER AGAIN!”

It would be more satisfying a shout if the Vulcan would respond.

McCoy’s foot shifts on some loose pebbles and he takes a moment to steady himself. The last thing anyone needs is for Leonard to pitch off the top of the world and break his neck. He goes from swearing to cajoling in a matter of heartbeats.

“Look, you win, okay? I killed your friend, baby, or whatever it was, and you’ve got me. It’s my price to pay. Just… let them go. Or send them back to the ship.” He rubs a hand against his face. “I give up. Isn’t that what you want?”

When Jim, Spock, and the team of red-shirts must be past the barrier, Leonard’s stomach drops.

How can they…?

Oh shit. Was the barrier just to keep Leonard from escaping?

“Jim! Spock!”

“Bones!”

The relief that rushes through him almost makes him dizzy.

“Stay there! STAY THERE!”

He scrambles to his knees and starts searching for handholds to climb back down. If he can get to Jim and Spock, then they might have a better chance. The creature won’t be able to use him against them. It…

The sudden shadow falling across his head, shoulders, and hands causing the man to glance up, a sharp streak of fear running up his spine. The sea dragon is back on its perch, a few scant feet from where he has hoisted himself over a protruding rock.

For the first time that Leonard can remember, its mouth opens in a grin. It has only two front fangs, long and pointed. Leonard stares, unable to look away, as it hisses low and long. When those scaled arms snake out, claws extended, he has to automatically fight the desire to pull away, lest he drop off the edge and crack his head open down below. It digs those claws into the backs of his hands and he can’t bite back a noise of pain.

In the distance there is an exclamation, perhaps a cry of “Bones!” and a series of frantic orders, but all seems muted to the sound of Leonard’s own heartbeat in his ears.

“What are you going to do?” he asks one last time. It’s a whisper, hushed and knowing.

Kill you, it states clearly.

With those words, it drags him back up the rock face several inches with a surprising strength. When it bends over, they are practically face-to-face. It murmurs, so softly, in his mind, Hatchling wanted all three destinies. I need only Jem-me’s.

Then it tosses Leonard off of the rock. He falls screaming.

Next Part

• The Boy and the Sea Dragon (14/14) – from December 7, 2010
• The Boy and the Sea Dragon (12/14) – from December 2, 2010
• The Boy and the Sea Dragon (11/?) – from November 27, 2010
• The Boy and the Sea Dragon (10/?) – from November 25, 2010
• The Boy and the Sea Dragon (9/?) – from November 20, 2010