[from here]Here was where he'd gathered Spock and McCoy last night. Both sides of the wide hallway stretched out before him into darkness, but Kirk could make out the backs of a few others advancing through, and the sound of footsteps of many more. He clicked his flashlight off, and idly swung his aluminium bat in a slow circle as he settled in to wait. He wasn't worried about getting attacked here - or at least, he wasn't worried about being surprised by one. It was early enough that traffic through these halls was steady, with enough weaving light beams providing illumination that Kirk could afford the comfort of making himself less of a target. His captain's shirt made him easy enough to find in the dark without him swinging around a flashlight too
( ... )
[From here]McCoy could feel a throbbing somewhere over his left eye. The crackle of the intercom felt overly loud and he'd be damned if it had helped that headache along any. The thing had been brewing all day, starting a few shifts ago. He almost didn't even notice it at first. By the time dinner rolled around, it had certainly made itself known: not nearly as excruciating as a migraine but insistent and relentless, like a slow, increasing burn that was getting worse with each minute. The weird thing was where the pain was radiating from. It wasn't even in one spot, instead, it was at its most intense at five spots on his skull, and seemed to fan out from there
( ... )
Kirk started out by not pacing, honest. He twirled his bat a few times, experimenting with the weight of it in his hand, and tapped its head against the tile floor at a steady beat, in a manner which did not at all suggest impatience or agitation or anxiety. He was calm. He was cool. He was definitely neither agitated nor impatient when it hit the minute mark and he started wondering if it was possible Bones had gotten ahead of him, and if so, it might be better to just head down to the main hallway, except once he started, he realized it would be better to check the doctor's room first to make sure there were no signs of a struggle, assuming he'd struggle. ZEX had gone along peacefully enough when they'd come for him, but that was because the both of them had known they were outmatched by the orderlies and a nurse armed with syringes. No doubt Bones would've calculated the same odds with the soldiers (since it would be soldiers now, right?) and done the same, all this being on a purely hypothetical level because it was not
( ... )
McCoy looked at Jim blankly. "You were waiting for me?" Why? And why was Jim looking at him like he was supposed to know this. There was that uncomfortable sensation again, the one he'd felt earlier when he'd apparently lost time when he'd drifted off right in the middle of the briefing back at Doyleton. Right in front of Jim and Spock. Except this time he was sure he could remember the entire day.
Spock wasn't going to join them for once. When had this happened
( ... )
Kirk eyed him skeptically for a second, but only a second. If Bones could still sound that irritated with him, then he was fine enough - not that Bones didn't usually sound that irritated with him, but you know. Spock's whereabouts were more important than the overpowering effect of Kirk's charisma on people, or even whatever might be plaguing Bones lately. The sprain he'd suffered yesterday seemed better, and when it came to the other matter...
Never mind. Spock. What the hell were they doing with Spock? "That's all I know," Kirk answered, frustration edging back into his voice. "They told him, he told me, and I'm guessing the soldiers were as chatty with the details as they've been all day." Which was to say, not at all. To think there would be a day he'd miss the conversational skills of the nurses... "I've never even heard of this happening before. Their M.O. so far has been to grab people out of their rooms during dinner, without warning, so why bother telling Spock ahead of time
( ... )
Where the two men were missing one of their usual playmates, another passing soul decided to take his place just then. A faint gust of air sifted past them, carrying with it the sound of a child's laughter. Nothing was visible for now, but with the change in the air around them, there was unmistakably a new presence here.
The one in the golden shirt had something in his hand. A bat? Did he want to play a game with it? The sylph hoped so. The air itself seemed to smile as she tugged on the bat eagerly, a cloudy light fading into existence around it for a moment before fading out again just as quickly.
McCoy could feel the impatience with Kirk growing, even though part of him knew it wasn't warranted. He knew it wasn't fair. Jim was trying his hardest to manage them all here. It wasn't like he was as experienced as his Jim and besides, it didn't matter if it was fair or not or if McCoy even approved. Jim was still his CO.
That was strange. When did the facility give advance warning of when someone was going to be taken? He was sure they hadn't. Jim had been her longer than him too. They hadn't warned them when they'd taken Chekov or when Hayes had vanished. He hadn't observed this kind of behavior either, but it was a new 'staff'. A lot was changing. "Maybe it's intimidation. They've been big on that late
( ... )
They had two possible leads. Assuming "observation" was different from either the CM-US Trials or Special Counselling, the two regular trauma sessions he was aware of, and that "the medical wing" didn't describe a location Kirk already knew about, then that left only a few places for them to search for Spock. The likeliest candidates were the third floor, and the large blank spot on the map he had of the first floor. Unfortunately, he already knew the way up to the third floor was solidly locked - he'd checked that with Uhura. Same with the area on the first floor - he'd checked that with Chekov.
But if they'd changed routine with Spock, then it was possible something had changed there too. Also assuming this wasn't just a new way to screw with their heads like Bones suggested, but even if it was, trying these options was better than arguing about it. Kirk had barely taken two steps when he felt the air change. From the way Bones' words suddenly cut off, he wasn't the only one. Laughter breathed in his ears (a child's?) and
( ... )
The man wanted to play Keep Away, it seemed. How wonderful! The sylph liked that game a lot. It swirled air back and forth and around the man with the bat a few times - teasing, making him wonder when she was going to make another grab.
She laughed again, more clearly this time, taking one spin around the man in blue before grabbing for the bat again, hoping to tug it to the right and take its owner around in a circle with her if she caught it.
McCoy obeyed, but not before it, whatever it was, breezed past him. He felt the hairs on the nape of his neck go up in its wake.
It was definitely something there. The laugh confirmed it, as well as the way it moved. McCoy wished they could see it, because not only did it make it next to impossible to tell where it was sitting or how how big it was, there was no way to tell what it was getting ready to do next. They couldn't even tell what it was feeling. The laugh was the only indication they had. It might be the only sound it could make. It seemed harmless for now, but he'd yet to see anything that was actually harmless in these halls.
McCoy was thinking he might want to be concerned. It had a preoccupation with Jim and that bat. The bat especially.
"Maybe you should let it have it," he said from against the wall.
When the gust of air blew around him, Kirk planted his feet slightly apart and brought his flashlight to the handle of his baseball bat, holding both in a two-handed grip. He readied himself for another attempt by whatever this was, only to hear laughter dive past him to ruffle Bones' hair. Apparently keeping their distance wasn't going to be enough to protect them. Kirk stayed where he was in the middle of the hallway, trying to guess what they were dealing with from its sounds and movements. A single entity, he thought. The closest he'd ever come to encountering something like this was that second night when Spock had been killed, but unlike then, this force seemed more playful than malicious, and Bones could hear it too
( ... )
The man in blue seemed reluctant to play, but the man in gold was more than willing, which delighted the sylph. It tugged the bat around in swooping, swirling patterns, as if trying to add an element of dance to their game.
Indeed, as the bat continued to be moved, the cloudy light appeared again, and this time, silhouetted brilliantly within those clouds was the form of a very slight, long-haired little girl with a beaming smile on her face. She would have been the very picture of innocence and fun had her tugs not been so carelessly rough, and only getting rougher the more she danced with her new playmate.
"It's not going to do much good if you piss it off," McCoy found himself saying, exasperated. The bat looked like it'd fold the moment it touched something once, and not only did they have Spock to worry about, it didn't look like it was worth the trouble. Of course Jim was going to cling to it. He'd found something that didn't leave him completely open and tactically, it made more sense. McCoy just didn't see that bat being worth it. Too small, too flimsy, and they might as well not be armed if that was what they were depending on for their safety
( ... )
From the continued laughter, the thing didn't seem the least bit pissed off with him, but that was probably the only good thing he could say about it. Kirk was growing aware of how ridiculous he looked getting pulled around like this, and even more so when his attacker materialized into the form of a glowing young girl. Materialized wasn't quite the right word for it - she looked as ephemeral as a cloud, but there was nothing unsubstantial about the grip on the other end of the bat.
Seeing her appear, Kirk tried to pull as hard as he could in case he could take advantage of her distraction, but no luck. If anything, her strength only seemed to grow in response, although with her enthusiasm - if this kept up, he'd have a hard time staying on both feet. What was this about? Was she playing a game, or
( ... )
The sylph went sailing back with the bat in her hands at that, temporarily elated that she had won the game. The feeling didn't last long, however. Without the man in gold supporting most of the bat's weight, the sylph was forced to drop the heavy thing, and it hit the ground with a disappointing clang. Also, it seemed that her playmates were trying to run away now. How rude. Why would they leave so soon?
The light around the sylph glowing brighter as she floated toward the man in gold, and she swirled around him again, the air in her dance seemingly begging him to play longer, or at least take her with them. The air churned faster, and if the man let it go on for too much longer, the miniature maelstrom would threaten to start drawing breath from his very lips.
Where the hell was Spock when you needed him? Jim would have listened to Spock from the get go, because at least he could have laid it out in a way Jim couldn't refuse. Jim finally decided to give up the damn bat and get going. He was ordering a retreat. The creature had fallen back and seemed to, for the moment, content with the bat.
McCoy had a moment to feel elation at the fact that it looked like they could get going, with only the loss of the bat as their main worry. The doctor moved further down the hall. He'd only gotten a few feet when there was a ringing clang that echoed back towards them. With a sinking feeling of dread, he looked back over his shoulder. The bat had been dropped, forgotten.
Then the little girl began to glow, brighter than before. She began to float towards Jim. Before he could do anything about it, the creature seemed to envelope him, swirling around him.
McCoy didn't think. He reached out, trying to grab at Jim's wrist to yank him out of it.
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Spock wasn't going to join them for once. When had this happened ( ... )
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Never mind. Spock. What the hell were they doing with Spock? "That's all I know," Kirk answered, frustration edging back into his voice. "They told him, he told me, and I'm guessing the soldiers were as chatty with the details as they've been all day." Which was to say, not at all. To think there would be a day he'd miss the conversational skills of the nurses... "I've never even heard of this happening before. Their M.O. so far has been to grab people out of their rooms during dinner, without warning, so why bother telling Spock ahead of time ( ... )
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The one in the golden shirt had something in his hand. A bat? Did he want to play a game with it? The sylph hoped so. The air itself seemed to smile as she tugged on the bat eagerly, a cloudy light fading into existence around it for a moment before fading out again just as quickly.
[Eryn]
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That was strange. When did the facility give advance warning of when someone was going to be taken? He was sure they hadn't. Jim had been her longer than him too. They hadn't warned them when they'd taken Chekov or when Hayes had vanished. He hadn't observed this kind of behavior either, but it was a new 'staff'. A lot was changing. "Maybe it's intimidation. They've been big on that late ( ... )
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But if they'd changed routine with Spock, then it was possible something had changed there too. Also assuming this wasn't just a new way to screw with their heads like Bones suggested, but even if it was, trying these options was better than arguing about it. Kirk had barely taken two steps when he felt the air change. From the way Bones' words suddenly cut off, he wasn't the only one. Laughter breathed in his ears (a child's?) and ( ... )
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She laughed again, more clearly this time, taking one spin around the man in blue before grabbing for the bat again, hoping to tug it to the right and take its owner around in a circle with her if she caught it.
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It was definitely something there. The laugh confirmed it, as well as the way it moved. McCoy wished they could see it, because not only did it make it next to impossible to tell where it was sitting or how how big it was, there was no way to tell what it was getting ready to do next. They couldn't even tell what it was feeling. The laugh was the only indication they had. It might be the only sound it could make. It seemed harmless for now, but he'd yet to see anything that was actually harmless in these halls.
McCoy was thinking he might want to be concerned. It had a preoccupation with Jim and that bat. The bat especially.
"Maybe you should let it have it," he said from against the wall.
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Indeed, as the bat continued to be moved, the cloudy light appeared again, and this time, silhouetted brilliantly within those clouds was the form of a very slight, long-haired little girl with a beaming smile on her face. She would have been the very picture of innocence and fun had her tugs not been so carelessly rough, and only getting rougher the more she danced with her new playmate.
Reply
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Seeing her appear, Kirk tried to pull as hard as he could in case he could take advantage of her distraction, but no luck. If anything, her strength only seemed to grow in response, although with her enthusiasm - if this kept up, he'd have a hard time staying on both feet. What was this about? Was she playing a game, or ( ... )
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The light around the sylph glowing brighter as she floated toward the man in gold, and she swirled around him again, the air in her dance seemingly begging him to play longer, or at least take her with them. The air churned faster, and if the man let it go on for too much longer, the miniature maelstrom would threaten to start drawing breath from his very lips.
Reply
McCoy had a moment to feel elation at the fact that it looked like they could get going, with only the loss of the bat as their main worry. The doctor moved further down the hall. He'd only gotten a few feet when there was a ringing clang that echoed back towards them. With a sinking feeling of dread, he looked back over his shoulder. The bat had been dropped, forgotten.
Then the little girl began to glow, brighter than before. She began to float towards Jim. Before he could do anything about it, the creature seemed to envelope him, swirling around him.
McCoy didn't think. He reached out, trying to grab at Jim's wrist to yank him out of it.
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