Chapter Text
The rock around them was glossy and smooth. Bumps had formed over millions of years just to make the cabernet they were standing in. Spock's science crew milled around taking samples and scanning their surroundings.
Spock himself was posed nearer to the pathway at the far end of the chamber, holding a vial of water to the light leaking through a hole in the roof. He was majestic. His hand was on his hip, eyebrow cocked as he turned his head to one side. He was in his thinking pose.
Uhura was having a difficult conversation with the locals. She'd insisted on coming along when she'd heard the language was almost a combination of Andorian and a dialect of Romulan.
The species themselves were reserved in nature, giving everyone a look like they were psychoanalysing every word they spoke, something Jim was forcing himself to work past. They were famous around the galaxy for being the leaders in mental health care, helping to influence the many Federation laws about the subject despite only joining recently.
That was something peculiar. Their habits about their subject could be traced across the whole galaxy yet this species seemed relatively new. The parts of their culture that had been preserved couldn't be more than three hundred years old.
The ship's anthropologist was having a field day trying to piece this species' history together. From what he'd heard, they appeared to have lived above ground for far longer than was recorded. But every source they'd found showed that they had only ever lived underground.
"Captain Kirk," The leader said and turned away from Uhura. "We have one piece of information we wish to inform you about before diplomatic negotiations begin,"
"Information? What about?"
"Your team will be put through a series of tests through the next few chambers,"
"Can you elaborate?" He tried not to put too much of his panic into his words.
"You will be separated, analysed and put through one test to fully complete our picture of your mind,"
"I'm not sure I'm okay with you putting my crew through that," Jim said, looking around as they gathered in a group beside him. "Is this stage entirely necessary for diplomatic talks to be engaged?"
"Unfortunately, yes," One said.
"We assure you, Captain, it's completely safe," Said another with a strange glint in their eye.
"Fine, but if anything happens to my crew I will be mentioning it to Starfleet in my report,"
The species led the crew out of the cavern. Jim stood near the back with Spock, the anthropologist and a few ensigns. In front, he saw Dr McCoy standing ever so slightly out of the line.
If Jim was a psychologist he'd probably say it was a reflection of how he pushed everyone away. But he wasn't, so he didn't.
The cavern split into chambers. Darkness encompassed them as the luminescent fibres of their uniforms glowed. Jim thought he saw the beings vanish, and after blinking a few times and rubbing his eyes he realised they did.
"Right, everybody stay together and we'll be able to get out saf-" He stopped.
Half the crew had also vanished. Had the species also taken them? He should've asked where specifically the tests were taking place.
"I do agree with you Captain but there is nothing we can do to aid the situation but carry on forwards," Spock said.
Jim calmed and linked their arms together, chuckling to himself when he saw Spock's eyes reflecting the lights shining from their uniforms, a remnant from the Vulcans feline ancestors.
The ensigns around him, before they'd all been separated, were still there. He knew he should say something but couldn't find the words. As Spock said, all they could do is walk on and hope for it to be over soon.
The final chamber was in sight. The last of the three ensigns left alive was hanging off his shoulder. Drips of water and panting breath filled the echoing silence left by their fear of speaking.
Spock had been challenged first, probably to get their strongest contender out of the way. He'd lost his control bit by bit as they made their way through the corridors that looked far too familiar. From the little Jim heard through their bond, his mother's voice was all he could hear. And they both knew of the horrendous guilt he still held with her death.
The ensigns had been next. Jim had been surprised, they could've taken him out and really punished the youths but now, in hindsight, watching them scream and writhe as all their limits were challenged.
For him it was subtle. Hunger ached, slow and gradual. Dizziness was still holding him back slightly and Frank's words were everywhere he turned.
Although only three of them were left, he felt a dull sense of achievement that they'd gotten to the end of their games, just so he could return home to the Enterprise. He wasn't going along with this mission. Not after innocent blood had been spilt.
His crew stood in the chamber when they arrived. He mentally counted them all, eight were dead. The rest sat in groups, silent and sombre.
Yet just after he went to place the Ensign on the floor a realisation hit him. Doctor McCoy wasn't here.
No. No-no-no. He couldn't be dead. That man was the most resilient he knew, especially when it came to mental anguish. He thought, counting again and again but still getting the same answer.
Had eight people turned to nine? He didn't want it to be true, despite all their arguments and the breakdown of their friendship he didn't want him to die.
Leonard sprinted around the corner, breathless. His skin was pale and a sheen of sweat covered him. He scanned around the cavern and shuffled to each person with a cut or a bruise, ripping shirts and applying the few hypo capsules he had left.
Jim walked over to him, "You okay, Doctor?"
"Fine."
His eyes disagreed. A stormy, translucent film covered them while a blank flat ocean lay beneath. He milled around the cavern, not saying anything to Jim as he followed him.
Something about this was off-putting. For months now he'd been hostile, pushing people away. It was only until now that he'd mellowed and withdrew from everything. It wasn't like he could berate him lately, all his work was completed he was taking on more. His manner was calm around staff and, in some ways, had improved since before everything went wrong.
"Are you sure of that?" He tried again.
"Completely, let me check you over--" He tugged him over to where Spock sat and hovered his tricorder over both of them. "No physical effects for either of you, but I'm making everyone an appointment with one of the ship's therapists, I'll COMM you your appointments,"
"Are you booking yourself in?"
He looked down at his tricorder, "Of course,"
Jim didn't believe him for a second and shook his head as he watched him walk to the opposite side of the cavern. He closed his eyes, folded his arms against his chest and brought his knees up to his chest. From far away he looked ill like he was weathering a storm or incubating something nasty.
The species entered the cavern through one of the small corridors to his left. Jim rose to his feet in a flash and crossed the cavern.
"This deal is off if that's your idea of a diplomat discussion, of testing if this is the right government to join, of testing people to explore different minds then you're not the right people for the Federation,"
"How do you have enough knowledge of an entire governmental organisation to declare us unfit?" Their tone was still calm and with every syllable, his anger was rising.
"No, no more of your mind games, have you heard of testing ethics? You have to follow them during this kinda stuff to make sure that people don't get hurt as they did," He grabbed his communicator. "Scotty beam us up, take the ensigns first, bring me and Spock up last,"
The tingling sounds of the transporter echoed around him as he kept eye contact with them. It wasn't too long before he too was being zoomed away up to the ship.
"That ended quickly," Scotty said with a smile.
"Yeah, no deal," He stepped off the transporter and saw Leonard exhale deeply, his face paler and he shuffled off towards sickbay. "They basically used all the crew for psychological testing by somehow getting in everyone's heads and making them experience their worst memories in some capacity,"
"Oh, shit,"
"Yeah, shit indeed, so if any of your engineers seem off-"
"I'll give them the shift off, of course, how are you faring, Captain?"
Scotty was one of the best for understanding what Jim needed. He'd always been loyal, his only time away being when Khan had come in and messed everything up.
"I'll be fine, Dr McCoy got everyone booked into therapy sessions, however many they need, and I'll probably meditate with Spock tonight," He rubbed his face and noticed the sweat on his brow.
"Well, I'm always here," He smiled again.
"I think you should focus on Uhura, she was pretty messed up too,"
Scotty nodded and walked with him to the door where they separated, him going to the engineer's deck, Jim to the bridge.
Just as he reached the turbolift, he could've sworn he saw McCoy sitting on the floor, his head in his hands. But he threw it off as the remnants of mind games and stepped onto the bridge and collapsed into his seat, surrounded by glum faces.