[Sometimes Choices Have to Be Made]

[kirktastic]

The beeping came suddenly from off from the side of his desk where he sat in his office. For a second Kirk was grateful that no one was in there with him as he jumped, just a little startled. Grabbing his comm and flipping it open, Kirk got out "Hello" before realizing it was only an alert.

The alert was coming from Jim's communicator, down there on the planet, trapped with Nero. Knowing that Jim had managed to sneak out two messages before, a small shiver of worry passed through him as he realized what only an alert could mean. It had to be a warning that something was happening - something that Jim couldn't sneak away to tell him. Considering the circumstances, there were very few things that the warning could have been. Kirk could only hope that getting out this warning wasn't putting Jim's life in danger.

Kirk thought about what George had said the other night. The idea had gotten stuck in his head - transported against their will. He had thought about it, laying in bed at night when he couldn't sleep. Could there be a way to do just that? To transport not only Jim and Spock, but the Romulans as well? If something was happening right now, something that Jim thought was worthwhile enough to have to warn him about, then maybe it was their only chance. He had a good feeling that whatever was taking place wouldn't give him much time to think this over.

Just as Kirk started to get out of his chair, the computer spoke to him as simultaneously a red alert appeared on the console before him. Sensors indicate the Narada is no longer aboard this ship. Repeat - sensors indicate the Narada is no longer aboard this ship. Kirk felt a cold fear run down his spine as he stared at the diagram of the Enterprise the computer automatically pulled up. It showed the Narada's last known location in Jim's quarters with the single red dot disappearing and reappearing over and over again.

With that in mind, Kirk found himself rushing down toward the nearest transporter room, with his comm still in hand. "Captain to Lt Commander Scott - Captain to Lt Commander Scott!" When Scotty didn't reply fast enough, Kirk snapped off a curse and hit the transporter room at a dead run. Kirk looked to the startled ensign behind the controls. "Ensign - the last known coordinates of the Narada should still be in the system, pull them up for me," Kirk said quickly as he slid in behind another console. His fingers flew over the screen, and using the coordinates the ensign pulled up, he scanned for information about the Narada.

The Enterprise's powerful scanners swept across where the Narada lay dormant on the surface of the planet below. To his utter amazement, the powerful shielding that had not only protected the Narada from every attack they had launched her way but kept them from doing something like this before was down, as if it had never been. To his greatest fear, Kirk could also see that her power levels, which had previously been so low, were now quickly picking up. That had to be it. That had to be what Jim was warning him about. The Romulans had done exactly as they feared - they had managed to not only locate but mine up the dilithium without the use of the plasma drill Kirk had helped destroy.

There was no time to think about what he had to do or talk to any other officer if this was the right course of action. Kirk looked to the confused ensign beside him and said, "Prepare - four to beam up." The computer recognized Jim and Spock's signatures immediately - it was Nero and Ayel's that Kirk had to locate. It wasn't hard, there seemed to be little else in the immediate area around the Narada. The mining must have scared everything off, Kirk thought to himself off-handedly. He had no doubt that every second counted. After all, it was impossible to say how long it would take for the Narada to get her shields back up.

Kirk hadn't realized he was holding his breath until the computer finally located Nero and Ayel's signatures. Something else that George had said came into his mind. He wasn't sure that Stockholm Syndrome was the right term for it but Kirk understood what his father meant. He didn't know how Jim and Spock would react to what he planned to do. With that in mind, he carefully divided the instructions to the transporter. Spock and Jim would be sent the conference room on Deck A. He instructed the computer to lock the door on the conference room and put his own personal code as the clearance needed for the lock.

The next set of instructions were a little more difficult to do in such a hurry. Choosing two open rooms in the brig, he set each one to its highest level of security. Only the captain would be able to lower the force field that separated the Romulans from the rest of the ship. Knowing the anger he had seen in Spock's eyes, and knowing the revenge in some people's hearts, even in his own, Kirk had to ensure that his crew was protected from Nero, and Nero from his crew. I'll need to speak with Security myself, Kirk thought quickly as he typed.

As he finished the last of the instructions to the computer, with the transporter locked on the four life signatures below, Kirk could only hope that he was doing the right thing. He looked to the ensign beside him and nodded only once. "Energize."

Comments

Re: Conference Room - Deck A

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

Jim did not need the bond to discern McCoy's interest. He could see it in McCoy's face, in the swift re-direction of his gaze. The thought of teaming up on him was suddenly unbearably attractive, not the least because he was a man and could appreciate the picture.

He needed a mirror.

"Yes, that," Jim said. "I don't like being in other peoples' bodies." If this one was his, though, he was going to use it.

Re: Conference Room - Deck A

[sehlatbear.livejournal.com]

"You do have inordinate experience with this type of phenomenon, Captain."

Professional. But it was murmured an inch from Jim's ear, close enough to feel Spock's hot breath.

Re: Conference Room - Deck A

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

Spock's proximity was having a curious effect on Jim's new nether-regions, one he wished to fully explore but strongly suspected was unprofessional. He wondered idly if it had anything to do with being a woman, this letting Spock drag him around and getting all hot and bothered in front of... Well, it was just Jim and Bones. And he had every right to be glad to be back.

"I do," he said. "It usually sucks." His tone implied he was not of that opinion now, however.

Re: Conference Room - Deck A

[country-doc.livejournal.com]

...now, stop it. Professional. He was a professional and he would pull himself together, however attractive the little scene before him was.

"Damn transporters and their malfunctions," he muttered in a mutinous undertone before running a hand through his hair. "Alright...alright, let's get on with this." Medical examination, that's all, plain and simple.

For now, anyway.

Re: Conference Room - Deck A

[sehlatbear.livejournal.com]

If absolutely nothing else, Spock's eyebrow was the same.

"Privacy would be acceptable."

James had continued to stare at them.

Re: Conference Room - Deck A

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

That. Wasn't. Fair.

He gave a look to Jim, then let out a very slow breath. "...You have one hour. I am gonna go deal with Security." The look he gave Jim was easy to read you owe me. "We have a lot to deal with when I get back."

Re: Conference Room - Deck A

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

Jim raised his eyebrows innocently.

"And we will," Jim assured Kirk. All of it. "Modesty forbids the inclusion of anyone not our regular physician, for such a delicate examination."

And he grinned. "Good luck, Captain."

Re: Conference Room - Deck A

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

"...bullshit."

His dick hated him for walking out of that door. A lot.

Re: Conference Room - Deck A

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

With Kirk gone, Jim reached out for Bones.

"Bones, that exam? You can't be any less curious than I am, which means you're dying of it and pretending not to."

Re: Conference Room - Deck A

[country-doc.livejournal.com]

McCoy, doing his best not to gawk at the two of them, returned to his senses when Jim touched his arm and smirked slightly.

"You could say that. Alright," he said, looking from one to the other and maybe taking the chance to rake his gaze over their bodies. "Who's first?"

Re: Conference Room - Deck A

[sehlatbear.livejournal.com]

Spock nudged Jim from her lap and stood. It was two simple steps to Leonard. She ran fingers over his where he gripped his tricorder.

"You will, most certainly, find that my hormonal makeup has entirely shifted. A new baseline will be required."

Re: Conference Room - Deck A

[country-doc.livejournal.com]

"I don't doubt that." McCoy glanced down to where their fingers touched, moving his slightly to further the contact. Funny how it was the simple things he'd missed most. He looked back up to meet Spock's eyes (which were still very much Spock's, female-body or no) and pulled out the detronal scanner - the overall genetic structure would be altered substantially if they had somehow found themselves in bodies that weren't theirs. Fortunately, the scan showed that yes, it was indeed Spock.

"Well, you're still in your own body," he concluded, placing the scanner to one side. "That should make things a little easier." Now he set about investigating the aforementioned hormonal makeup - it was true, he'd need a construct a whole new baseline for the both of them, but it shouldn't take too long. "Just stand there and don't move for a few minutes..."

Re: Conference Room - Deck A

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

That was good, anyway, Jim thought--he would not assume, but could definitely hope, that the same was true for him. Likewise that it could be reversed.

Just... not yet.

Bones hadn't told Jim not to move, so Jim did, trying not to trip over his pants as he slid around behind McCoy, to look over his shoulder. Jim had not forgotten something Bones probably didn't remember he'd said. That, combined with his new state of womanhood and entirely not new state of arousal made him very, very interested in this particular reunion.

He slid an arm around McCoy's torso, resting his chin on a shoulder. "Easier to rule out issues of consent, you mean."

Re: Conference Room - Deck A

[sehlatbear.livejournal.com]

Spock stood still as directed. But she avidly watched as Jim's arms moved around Leonard.

"It was objectionable to be parted from you for such a prolonged span."

Re: Conference Room - Deck A

[country-doc.livejournal.com]

"Among other things." McCoy, eyebrow raised, glanced sideways to where Jim was leaning on his shoulder, but didn't move away. Nor did he step out of the circle of his (her?) arm - rather, he leant into it ever so slightly as he focused again on the tricorder's readings, glancing up when Spock spoke. "You're telling me it was 'objectionable'. Combined with the fact that neither of you can stay out of trouble for longer than half an hour at a time, I was starting to worry."

Rather, he had been worrying from the minute all this started, but...well, no need to say that out loud.

Re: Conference Room - Deck A

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

Jim grinned, meeting Spock's eyes as his other arm slid around McCoy and he deliberately pressed himself up against the man's back. Now that sensation was interesting.

"You worry too much," he said. "You have it all backwards. Spock and I are the ones who get us out of trouble. We can't help it if trouble finds us first. Risk is our business."

Re: Conference Room - Deck A

[sehlatbear.livejournal.com]

"In point of fact, Leonard, statistically speaking, Jim is far more likely to find himself in need of assistance than am I. Unless I accompany him, in which case the likihood of my imperilment sharply increases. However, this is not unique to me - you also experience it on away missions."

He seemed to have finished the scan. The results would be useful for study later. Spock moved forward to press herself against Leonard's front. Quite interesting indeed.

Re: Conference Room - Deck A

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

Jim rolled his eyes.

"I think the predominant factor here is 'away missions.' Not me. I want that to be plain."

He liked the exposed column of McCoy's throat--that probably didn't feel any different, but he was pretty sure the breasts flattened against McCoy's back were novel.

Re: Conference Room - Deck A

[country-doc.livejournal.com]

He suddenly found himself trapped between two extremely attractive ladies and was feeling very satisfied about it, one hand settling itself comfortably on Spock's waist. "Be that as it may, it still proves that no, I don't worry too much, and by the way, Jim," he glanced over his shoulder with some difficulty to where Jim was nuzzling against his neck and waved the tricorder at him. "I still need to scan you." Much as he was loathe to pull away, it was probably necessary.

Re: Conference Room - Deck A

[sehlatbear.livejournal.com]

Spock leaned more firmly against Leonard, to reach around and capture Jim's hand. She stroked their fingers together.

"Perhaps you should do so expediently, Leonard."

Re: Conference Room - Deck A

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

"Yes, yes. Expedience. Scan away."

Jim peeled himself reluctantly off McCoy's back and stood, arms to the sides, awaiting inspection. He was almost certain this was his body. It certainly seemed to want sex, if he was reading the signs right. Which, when it came down to it, were pretty familiar despite the obvious superficial differences.

Re: Conference Room - Deck A

[country-doc.livejournal.com]

"Well, it's your body," he confirmed with little surprise, after performing what was possibly the fastest full-body scan anyone had ever carried out. "And right now, that's all I really need to know." He reached out and hooked an arm round Jim's waist, pulling him - ah, to Hell with it, her - closer again. "I reckon the rest can probably wait."

Re: Conference Room - Deck A

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

Jim noted, somewhere separate from everything else, that people were pulling him around a lot as a woman. Whether that was actually true, or he just wasn't that strong, he didn't know.

He didn't really care in this moment, with Bones--lovely, sweet, do-I-have-to-drag-it-out-of-you Bones--grabbing him without reservation and drawing him flush with his body. It gave Jim a premonition of how they fit together, which was exciting, but more exciting was how they could kiss now, Jim with the full knowledge of what Bones had said, even drunk, and how much he'd missed them. One hand twined through McCoy's hair and the other reached for Spock.

Re: Conference Room - Deck A

[sehlatbear.livejournal.com]

She had been very patient. But it was logical to dispense with patience now. Spock moved into Jim's touch and pressed herself against Leonard's back. An intriguing, entirely different sensation. Spock was still tall, enough to reach her mouth to his neck as her free hand slid up under the double layer of uniform shirts he was wearing.

Re: Conference Room - Deck A

[country-doc.livejournal.com]

McCoy, mouth thoroughly occupied with Jim's, arched back into Spock as she pressed up behind him, her hand gliding smoothly beneath his shirts. He knew he'd missed them, but he hadn't realised just how much he'd been starved of this until now - he wanted them as close as possible, to assure himself they were back and safe.

His own hands shifted, one travelling up inside Jim's oversized shirt, the other reaching back to touch the side of Spock's face, tracing her cheekbone - different, but still familiar.