Chapter 19

ahh, here we go again ...

Cort hated waiting. He wanted to go on the adventure, because anything was better than laying there with an eagle-eyed nurse watching you and keeping you pumped full of disorienting drugs. Cort was patient though, no one was perfect, so all he had to do was wait until she slipped, and then he would take the chance and slip as well ... Away.

His break came when Nurse Chapel had to take a bathroom break. He wanted no time in pulling out the needles and tearing the patches off. He had some troubles walking straight, and was very lost, but he managed to convince someone that he was ordered to beam down to the planet, but he wasn't sure where to go. After getting instructions he set off. It took him a while to find the right room, but he recognized it as soon as he found it. It was the first room he had arrived in. Though he soon realized he had no idea how to work the machines. He was just starting to mess around with one of them when he was interrupted.

"Wha' are ye doin' here!?" Scotty came in, yet Cort had regained enough of his inhibitions that he was able to suppress the sudden jump of surprise he almost gave into.

"I was supposed to beam down to the planet, but they seem to have forgotten me." He turned towards the engineer within apologetic look on his face.

"You? You havnae even changed clothes from when you first got here!" Scotty looked disbelieving, "Are ye sure that you were set tae go?"

"Yes." Cort nodded, "Only, I'll need some help."

"Aye, I suppose you will." Scotty seemed to contemplate it for a moment before motioning towards the circular pad, "I'll beam ye doon tae the same spot as I beamed them, though, they might be gone."

"That's all right." Cort gave a wan smile, "I'll find them. They can't have gone far, besides, I can contact them when I get there."

"Aye," Scotty nodded, before adjusting some controls, then he stopped, seeming to think of something, "Actually, I'd probably better contact them now, to let them know you're comin'."

"No, that's all right, contact them after I'm down there, I'm itching to go!" Cort glanced impatiently at the door, and Scotty just shook his head,

"You'll be missin' the Enterprise soon enough, I never could understan' the want tae go off of this ship."

"Thank you." Cort had to suppress a second glance at the door as the Scotsman took his sweet time, adjusting controls with a loving and gentle touch. Finally, the engineer looked up,

"Are ye ready?"

"Yes." Cort did his best not to sound terse.

"All right, yer off then." Scotty pushed some dials up slowly, and Cort watched as lights slowly surrounded him. That's naturally when Nurse Chapel burst through the door, fire in her eyes and a hypo in her hand. Cort just looked at her as he disappeared, then, feeling very like Hogan, he sloppily saluted as the last of the Enterprise melted away, replaced by a blizzard over a frozen landscape. He suppressed a shiver, as the sudden cold brought back tons of aches and pains, pain that was sure to increase as the drugs from earlier wore slowly off. Oh well, he had asked for this, after all.

He surveyed his surroundings carefully, catching a whiff of smoke too dissapated to be from just one fire, and after surveying all go the twinkling firelights in the distance, he recognized the unmistakable formation of a camped army. Scarcely stopping to wonder at them, he immediately turned to the fate of the landing party from earlier. He knelt down carefully, completely in his element as he studied the snowy ground on which he stood. Tracks, so faint they were almost undiscernable, and yet he recognized them all. The swaggering, wandering tread of the Captain, the unmistakable straight neat prints of Spock, and the dragging trudge marks of McCoy. Then there were Dustin's lighter, smaller footsteps. Ones that seemed to carry a purpose and zeal for life. Cort smiled to himself as he silently followed them, finally coming across an overhanging cave. How predictable. Cort would never admit it to anyone, but he hit a sort of high when he hunted, following his a unaware quarry and then surprising them calmly when they least expected it.

He was about to do just that, when he spotted a pair of fresher tracks leading from the cave. He followed them, quickly identifying them as McCoy and Dustin's. It quickly became clear that they had been gathering firewood. Yet when he found it scattered in small piles all over a clearing, it didn't take a super sleuth to deduce what had happened. He stood absolutely still, breath bated, waiting for the lookout he knew was there to give himself away.

There it was. He heard a slight crunch of snow, and within seconds, his staff was out, and he had leapt upon his surprised prey, before the man could call backup to leap upon him. There was no scuffle, merely a thud, and then he was carrying the man, trussed and tied in misty knots, back to the cave. He left him there before running quietly back, and carefully covering his tracks.

By now, he was in inexplicable pain. For some reason the cold combined with the excitement had caused it to multiply tenfold. He could tell when the drugs stopped working, as their pleasant fuzziness was slowly replaced by a pounding headache.

He stood at the entrance to the cave, then picked up the man after hearing Kirk and Spock's muted tones. Someone had to tell them. After all, when he was injured, he needed help to take down an army.

Kirk jumped slightly when Cort entered the cave. Spock nodded on his direction, calm, but still slightly startled. "I thought you were under the good Nurse Chapel's care," Kirk stated.

"I was," Cort staid curtly. "Until she left for a moment. I thought you would like to know that Doctor McCoy and Dustin were taken."

"By this man?" Spock inquired, nodding to the man Cort was holding.

Cort shrugged, "I found him out there their tracks. He should know something about it."

"If they've been taken then let's go get them. There may not be time for him to wake up," Kirk was pacing.

The captain was impulsive, but Cort had the gut feeling that that's what they needed right now, Spock must have felt so too. "I assume you are an expert at tracking?" Spock asked.

Cort nodded, "Yes, especially with all this snow."

Kirk and Spock liberated the man from Cort, and followed him outside. Cort followed the tracks back to where the struggle was. "There were about a dozen men here, trained warriors by the looks of it. It still took several of the trained soldiers to take them down," Cort smiled slightly. "I expect that you were spotted by a guard earlier, so they sent out a small detail. I wonder why they only took the doctor and Dustin."

He started following the drag marks. Following them was easy, it was gathering information along the way that was the trick. A few hundred yards along there were signs of another struggle. To Cort's surprise, it was McCoy who had regained consciousness. He had overpowered the man who was dragging him, but was taken care of again shortly. He relayed the information with the added comment, "It is lucky for us that their captors want information, otherwise..." he didn't finish the sentence.

"Don't we all live off of luck?" Kirk asked.

Cort nodded, continuing along. He slowed as they neared a camp. Cort went into surveillance mode, and began analyzing the camp. The men were cooking, by the smell of it, it wasn't the best spiced meal, and the men would probably have to choke it down, but at least they would have warm food. Most of the men had their guard down, but there were still a few keeping watch. Cort quickly picked out were the highest concentration of men were standing with hands on hilts. He pointed, "McCoy and Dustin are in that tent."

Kirk nodded, "Let's trail back a little ways and come up with a plan." The went back a bit, Cort being careful to cover their tracks. They stopped and Kirk and Spock sat the man down. "Assuming that we can convince the man to cooperate, we can use him to get us into the camp. And if he doesn't, we can still use him to get us into the camp," Kirk stated.

"I think we better plan on him not cooperating easily, he would probably rather die than let three potential threats into camp. This is not an army of mercenaries, the men are here on their own free will." Cort had gathered that from watching the way that the men had interacted. He couldn't pick up much conversation, but there was a slight cheer in the camp despite the snow, and it wasn't from bloodlust. Also, there was never an army that was happy while forced to go to war.

"Jim, we must careful not to violate the prime directive-"

"Prime directive! Bones and Dustin are in that camp! They're probably are going through their belongings right now and analyzing them. They broke the prime directive themselves. Right now the best course of action is to get them out of there as quickly as we can and report to the federation that this planet has civilization. At least I'm not contacting Scotty to beam them out of the middle of the camp. That's the closest your Vulcan self is going to get to playing this out of the book right now!"

"What's the prime directive?" Cort asked, lost.

"I'll tell you later, just try to not to break it if you can help it," Kirk said. Cort was ready to argue that that was illogical, but Spock said that for him.

"It doesn't matter right now. If this army is fighting for a cause maybe they will listen to us, and see that we mean them no threat, but might be able to help them instead."

"So, we go in unarmed?" Cort asked.

Kirk was reluctant to agree, but finally nodded. "Yes. I'll contact Scotty and tell him our plan." He pulled out a small device and flipped it open. "Kirk to Enterprise, come in Enterprise. Kirk to Enterprise, come in Enterprise." He paused, but there was no answer. "The storm must be blocking the signal," Kirk cursed. "I guess we get to go into this alone."

"We'll have more help once we get inside," Cort pointed out.

"Well then Spock, do you think that you could convince our new friend here to help us into camp on peaceful terms?"

"I could try captain, but, I see fit to remind you now that we're not sure yet if they are a threat to us."

"Spock, just do it," Kirk rolled his eyes.

"Captain, did you roll your eyes at me? I understand that to is a rude gesture in your culture."

"Spock, I believe that your enjoying annoying me right now, you can't deny it, you're still half human. But hurry up, huh? Bones and a sixteen year old boy need our help."

Spock nodded and knelt by the man, placing his hand on the man's face. Spock's eyes were closed, and for a moment his face looked pained. After a while he pulled back gasping. "I think that he will help us when he awakens."

"What did you do?" Cort couldn't keep himself from asking.

"It is called a Vulcan mind meld," Spock explained. "I created a temporary mental link between us. From what I've heard, you are somewhat familiar with that. This is different from what your previous colleague, Dustin's friend, can do�"but in many ways they are similar."

"I guess that can come in handy when your in an unfamiliar and confusing situation," Cort muttered, "that is, once you get over what just happened."

Kirk chuckled, only to stop when the man stirred. Spock was instantly there to help the man up. "I am sorry for any injuries and discomforts you may have experienced at our hands."
The man was rubbing his head, looking around bewildered.

"Who are you?"

Cort was the one who answered, feeling somewhat guilty for knocking the man over the head earlier, "We are nothing but travelers." He offered a hand, helping the man to his feet, "Wanderers from lands very far from here."

"Then why'd you attack me?" The man rubbed his head, a look of pain flitting across his face. Cort for his part thought that if only the man could feel one tenth of the way he was feeling at that moment, he would have been glad for such a small bump, yet he made sure no one could see it, pulling a face straighter than Spock's.

"Your people took two of our friends hostage, on absolutely no grounds." Kirk couldn't stay quiet for long, "We felt threatened, and so took one of you hostage in a moment of impetuosity, which we freely admit was wrong. Yet we mean you no harm," Kirk held up his hands in a gesture of surrender, "in fact, to prove our good will, and apologize for our earlier folly, we have put all of our weapons away where they cannot be gotten, at least not without some trouble and time." Cort almost laughed when he thought of the pile of equipment buried in the forest nearby.

"So, you were the party that our scout saw?" the man asked. "We were afraid that you might be alleged to the Jucaleen. You were infringing on our territory and army. I think those are grounds enough."

"Do we look like we're Jucaleen?" Cort asked. He had no idea what the Jucaleen looked like, but he knew for certain that they did not dress the same way they were.

"No," the man said. "Your clothing is completely foreign, I've never seen anything like it before. But one can never be too careful."

"Great, now that that's out of the way, who are the Jucaleen?" questioned Kirk.

"You three must have traveled from a long ways off to have never heard of them."

Cort shrugged and Kirk nodded. "We have, would you mind informing us?"

The man was still perplexed, and Cort understood why when the man explained, "They have conquered most of the known world."

"We came from overseas, and do not like to stay in towns. We prefer to remain unnoticed. This is our first contact since arriving." Spock said quickly, but not too quickly.

The man glanced at him, studying him for the first time. His face did poorly to hide his surprise. "Yes, you are foreigners indeed. I am sure that as soon as they ascertain that your two comrades are not in league with the Jucaleen they will return them to you."

"Thank you." Cort said, but he was still curious. "Why is it that you are here in the wintertime?"

The man shook his head, "The Jucaleen are at a moment of weakness and we mean to take advantage of it. They have terrorized our country long enough, they've destroyed fields, towns, and cities. If we can end it now, we plan to do everything in our means to stop them. What you're standing in now is part of the last free country from their rule."

"I wish you the best of luck," Kirk said sincerely. "But we would like to be reunited with our friends as soon as possible. Will you lead the way so that we can talk to those who hold them captive?"

The man nodded, "Yes, but you need to be careful."

"Careful is Spock's middle name," Kirk undertoned, forcing Cort to stifle a laugh. They followed the man back to camp, who went on ahead a little and spoke with one of the guards. He ran to the tent where Cort had previously deduced that the doctor and McCoy were being held. A moment later he came back with another man.

"We will escort you to your friends," the man intoned briskly, but not unkindly.

They all nodded consensus and followed their two armed escorts to the tent. Inside McCoy was sitting against the wall, in a protective position around Dustin's slumped body. Their possessions were lined up on the floor, Kirk had been right about that. The tent was also filled with several officers and other official looking people. They were turned and waiting for them as they entered.

"I told you not to leave bed!" Bones growled the moment they entered.

"I'm glad to see you too," Cort muttered.

"Which one of you is the leader?" asked an older dignitary.

"I am," Kirk spoke.

"What are you and your crew doing in our territory? Your friend here hasn't been answering," the same man said.

"We were just traveling through. We didn't know that there was anything here really," It wasn't a lie. "Why didn't you tell him that Bones?"

"I told them I wouldn't speak until I was sure Dustin was all right," he grumbled. "I think he'll only have a mild concussion and should be fine soon, but he hasn't woken up yet. Sadly, it seems like they had to hit him over the head harder than they had to for me."

"You both fought like the devil, how else did you expect us to get you to stop?" The leader spoke in haughty tones, yet Cort caught a slight tremor in his voice that spoke of hidden guilt.

"You could have just introduced yourself and questioned us right there. Fighting isn't always the answer." McCoy growled, shifting so that Dustin's head was at less of an incline on his lap.

"Indeed." Spock spoke calmly, "I am sure we would have understood your situation easily and naturally sympathized had you merely explained it cordially. We are not without compassion." All of them looked a little guilty at that, but McCoy's mouth was hanging open as he stared at the half Vulcan with undisguised awe and surprise.

"We are sorry." The leader motioned towards McCoy and Dustin with his chin, and his men moved forward to untie them, although McCoy wouldn't let them untie or even touch Dustin, glaring threateningly at them as he did it himself. "We incorrectly assumed that you were spies, sent by the Jucaleen to ascertain our weaknesses so that they could hit us hard." The leader sighed, "War makes everyone paranoid, and I guess that includes us." He looked hard at Kirk, "I hope you will accept my sincerest apologies, ... Where are you from? Lal says it is very far, and it must be, if you have never heard of the Jucaleen."

"We ... Are from very far away, you won't have heard of it, ... It's a small colony." Kirk was obviously racking his brain for a plausible lie, feeling the weight of the Prime Directive on his shoulders.

"What is it called?" The leader frowned, obviously skeptical.

"Enterprise." Cort spoke up, "A small town on an island far out in the North regions of the sea." He had guessed where the sea was from the emphatic gesturing of ... Lal? Earlier. "It's a town of about 700. Not very big, and very obscure."

The leader nodded. "Are you planning on traveling back there soon?"

"Yes," Kirk said. "We were unaware of the current dangers in this land, and hope to be off again as soon as we can."

"That is probably wise for your safety. I wish you the best of luck in avoiding this war. If all goes well for us then the Jucaleen will be stopped before they ever make it to your small village. But, would you care to stay with us for a while?"

"We should probably wait for Dustin to wake up," McCoy counseled.

"It would also be prudent to wait for the storm to pass," Spock added.

Kirk nodded, "I think my two advisors are right. And if I've learned anything, it's that the doctor will get his way one way or another."

Cort wondered at that for a moment. He was going to have a lovely time once they made it back to the Enterprise. "Once again we are sorry for any trouble we have caused you, and are glad that you are not spies," the leader apologized again.

Cort felt sorry for them, they were kind, but he had gotten a feel for their size, and if they were about to go up against an empire controlling the majority of the continent, they were going to need a lot more than luck. "We could help a little." He offered, not really wanting to get onto the Doctor's territory with the obviously obstinate man. He knew that he had overstepped some invisible line by the deadly look that McCoy gave him and the flabbergasted one of horror from Kirk, but he forged ahead anyway. "I know what war is like, and could probably help you shorten it."
Spock leaned in to Kirk and said only loud enough that the captain and Cort could hear him, "Perhaps it would have been wise to educate him on the Prime Directive."

Kirk nodded but shrugged, "Learn to live a little Spock. Perhaps it would be good if we could help them a little." There was a hidden message there, but Cort didn't fully understand it. Probably would've helped if he knew what the Prime Directive was.

"I'm afraid you are unaware of what you're getting yourself into." The leader was obviously trying to hide his relief at the offer, "Yet you won't regret it." he stuck out a hand to Kirk, "I am Trerforn, second in command only to General Frekhyl."

"Well General, you have gained yourself four more soldiers and a skilled doctor," Kirk said accepting his hand.

"Hold up, these two are not presently fit for combat," McCoy growled.

"Calm down, Bones. They will be shortly. I think you have a tendency of trying to keep someone in bed longer than needful. Besides, I think they've already shown that they make good soldiers."

"Do any of you have any training?" Trerforn asked.

"Our island it's small, but it does possess a navy," Kirk said. "I am a captain, and these two are lieutenants-"

"I do not know much about the sea, but the navy is not the same as infantry," Trerforn inserted.

"Dustin and I have training," Cort spoke up. He knew it was something that needed to be spoken, now he just needed a story.

"In?" Trerforn looked at him, waiting for the rest.

"We are both ..." Cort paused not knowing a lot about Dustin, but decided to take the chance, "We are both royalty on the island of Enterprise. I being a prince, and he being my older brother, ... A king." He had made it up due to the leading-of-armies experience that Dustin seemed to have. "Therefore, we both have great experience when it comes to battle."

"Your island has an army?"

Kirk nodded for him, "It's not a small island. It is large enough for three countries, and there's a smaller island nearby that is often at war with us. But our struggles usually consist of only that, we were unaware of the troubles on the main land."

Trerforn nodded, "That's good. What is the name of your island again?"

"It depends on who you ask. England, Scotland, or Wales. Take your pick," Kirk smiled.
Cort had a feeling those names were not made up, but they had no meaning to him. He quickly memorized them.

Apparently it took a moment for their story to sink in. One of the men said, "Wait, so we knocked out a king?"

"Yes." Cort nodded.

The man shook his head chuckling slightly. Perhaps Dustin, unconscious could still feel the attention of the room on him, for he began to stir. "My head hurts," Cort barely heard the words. He realized now was a critical moment, any wrong words from Dustin, and their whole story could come crumbling apart.

McCoy reached for one of his instruments sitting on the ground. "How are you feeling?" he grunted.

"We're sorry that we knocked you out, your majesty," one of the men apologized.
Dustin began looking around, assessing the situation with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm sorry too," his hand was on his head, "My head feels like the dickens. What are your hilts made out of?" He seemed to realize what the man had called him. "Your majesty?"

Cort was silently willing him to shut up, and McCoy waisted no time in shining a light in his eye, "It would seem the king has a mild concussion-"

"Well of course I do, and I'll get over it, just like I've recovered from all the rest. But I thought I gave orders that no one would mention rank, what made you think that this was an exception?"

"Sorry, I said something. I was under the impression I was at liberty to do so, brother."
Dustin cast Cort a curious glance as if to say 'Really? You passed us off as brothers?' and 'Why'd you have to say I was a king?'.

"We've just enlisted in their cause for a while and thought that they should know," Kirk was smiling.

Dustin looked absolutely confused. Did Dustin know about the Prime Directive? "Can someone please tell me what's going on?" They filled him in, dropping subtle hints on what their story was along the way. The tent was silent for a long moment. "You must be desperate to march in this weather," Dustin said at last.

"Yes we are," General Trerforn admitted.

"Could my men and I talk this over privately?" Dustin asked. Very truly like a king who wanted to see what he had gotten pulled into, and who possibly was going to pay for it.

"Of course," Trerforn nodded. Someone escorted them to a smaller tent that was cleared out. Cort checked to make sure no one was in hearing range.

"Well, we're glad you're back among the living," Kirk said cheerfully. "Bones is glad too, he's just upset that he doesn't have a bed to force you to lie in."

"Cort as well," the doctor admitted.

"Captain, we should attempt to contact the Enterprise again. Mr. Scott requires our current position if we are to continue the facade that we have concocted, which would be inadvisable."

"Now Spock, there's no point, the storm is still storming away. Besides, the Prime Directive doesn't say you can never help anyone."

"Not in those words," Spock said, "Though I wonder if you realize how long war like this takes."

Cort and Dustin nodded, "It could be months before they ever see battle," Cort said.

"And by then a good portion of the army will already be dead from sicknesses they pick up here," Dustin continued mournfully.

"Lucky for them that we're here then. I trust my instincts, and right now they say that we should stay here." Kirk spoke with conviction. Cort and Dustin nodded again while Bones shook his head and mumbled a complaint.

"I have learned to trust your instincts," Spock said slowly. "But I do so with protest."

"Noted, just, this time don't go blabbering to Star Fleet. Can't you exaggerate or stay quiet?"

"Perhaps."

"We all just need to keep up our act for a while," The Captain turned to Cort and Dustin.

McCoy shook his head, "Jim, the boy really is a prince."

"Well then, if Dustin can act like a king I think we're set."

"How are kings supposed to act?" Dustin questioned, there was a slight edge to his voice along with a suspiciously innocent look that Kirk didn't seem to notice.

"A little arrogant and stiff, but chivalrous-" Kirk began to instruct.

"Really?" Dustin asked. "I've been doing it wrong," he snapped his fingers. "No offense, but sir, people have the tendency to make military leaders their rulers."

Spock rose an eyebrow, "Fascinating."

"You have to be a little more obvious for me," McCoy looked annoyed at not having caught on as quickly as Spock seemed to have done.

"He means I have a knack for hitting it straight on," Cort smiled. "I think we'll do marvelously."

"I was a general, won the war, and the people made me their king," Dustin summed up.

"So, basically they're getting exactly what we told them," Kirk grinned. "Except of course we're all from different worlds, and our navy is in space."

"Yeah, except for that." McCoy's eye roll was practically audible.

"Jim, I highly doubt that Mr. Scott will appreciate-," Spock tried again.

"You could fill the Enterprise with all of the stuff Scotty doesn't like!" Kirk waved a dismissive hand, then paused, "Which is kinda ironic."

"You're really dead set on this, Jim," Bones frowned.

"Well, if I'm not, who knows how many people will be dead?" Kirk's face took on a haunted look as he stared at his friend, suddenly looking like a child, "Bones, did you see those peoples faces? This could be Tarsus IV all over again. They're trying to get rid of their Kodos ... How can I deny them my help when it just might help prevent a slaughter?"

"Jim! Jim, ... I get it." Bones had an unreadable look on his face, "We'll help."

"Indeed." Spock's eyebrow was raised in surprise and slight confusion, "The unfortunate events of Tarsus IV must not be repeated in any case."

"Unfortunate, Spock?" Kirk for the first time looked really scared, "Try tragic."

"Jim, calm down." Bones stood, putting his hand on the Captain's shoulder and looking right at him, "Like I said, we'll help."

"So does that mean I have to lead an army again?" Dustin looked as uncomfortable as Cort felt, and was obviously trying to get off of this touchy and obviously private subject. Kirk must have felt bad for him, because he turned,

"No, I think the Generals will handle that." He put on a forced smile, attempting to chase away the gloom that had so suddenly gripped the small tent, "But you might be an advisor."

"If I have to be one, so do you." Dustin huffed, folding his arms childishly.

"I'll never quite understand humans," Spock's lips twitched into a tiny frown that only lasted for a split second, but still equated to an expression of Vulcan confusion.

"If we're staying, we'll need a change of clothes," Cort interrupted.

Dustin nodded, "Yes, I am not going into battle dressed in this flimsy fabric. We also need weapons. I think our phasers would be too obvious." His brow furrowed, "Do you even know how to use a sword?"

"How hard can it be?" Kirk asked.

Dustin shook his head, "I suppose it's so easy a child can do it."

"Yes, a child raised in wartime and trying circumstances." Cort frowned, then decided to show off a little, swallowing his pain as mist surrounded all of them, covering up their Starfleet issue clothes with different versions of all of the coarse and warm clothes that they had seen thus far on the army round about them.

He himself had donned his own grey Wanderers outfit, complete with the cape and mist stone. He just put it over his old WWII outfit, figuring that the layers would just make him warmer.

He made Kirk, Spock, and McCoy look as nautical as possible with sharp angles and lots of black buttons. Adding color was always hard, but it was possible, and they ended up looking like old versions of Starfleet. Kirk in gold and Spock and McCoy in blue. He left them their phasers, but hidden ingeniously in the folds of their uniforms. He had also given them weapons, Kirk a long sword with a decorative hilt, Spock with a crossbow, and McCoy with a dagger. He left McCoy his medical kit, although it was now inside an old fashioned one, with a big Red Cross on it.

Dustin had to be dressed immaculately, as he was a king, and ended up wearing red and gold, with a beautiful sword and a long flowing cape. Then the mist dissipated, leaving him barely holding up his own broadsword, about ready to collapse, leaving him teetering dangerously.

Kirk caught him quickly and helped to stabilize him.

"That was..." McCoy struggled for words, "Don't do that again."

Cort nodded. "Yeah, okay." After a moment he stood up straighter and held up his broadsword.

"We blend in though, isn't that what we wanted?" Cort spared the doctor a creepily Kett-like smile.

"Yes, but we already stand out, to blend in now would raise suspicion," Spock said logically.

"I'm sure there's clothes to spare, anyways," Dustin said. "There comes a point when there start being extras again. It's winter, I'm sure they're reaching that point."

"You are a morbid child," McCoy shook his head.

Dustin shrugged, "It's true."

"Well I'm not undoing anything." Cort frowned, "Most people in camp haven't seen us, and I'd rather leave them with a strong feeling of power when they see us, rather than seeing a bunch of ragtag strangers in strange clothing who claim to be royalty from far off. We can say we changed out of our traveling clothes to prepare for battle. But, I guess it doesn't matter. That's the last time I help you you people, anyway."

McCoy laughed, "If helping us almost kills you than good."

"Scratch that, I'll help." Cort was feeling decidedly childish.

"I think they look pretty good." Kirk was admiring his sword.

There was a knock on one of the posts. "Enter," Dustin smiled before looking serious.

"What have you decided?" a young man asked entering.

"We'll stay awhile, though we could use some boots and gloves ... and we are rather hungry," Dustin smiled kindly. McCoy glared at Cort, daring him to try and fill Dustin's order himself, fingering a hypo threateningly.

The young man nodded, "I will see what I can do. I'll be back shortly."

"I still think that you should both be in bed." McCoy's growl made Cort smile, if a little unwillingly.

"I agree," Dustin muttered, "I want to sleep until April," he yawned, causing everyone but Spock to yawn against their will. They chuckled softly.

Cort began to wonder something, "Doctor, if you had our same injuries and the same thing was going on, would you stay in bed?" The doctor grumbled something that Cort couldn't hear, but he knew the answer. He smiled.

"Doctors do make the worst patients." Kirk could help but jab, immediately answered with a glare as McCoy snapped,

"You're the exception to that rule, Jim, not to mention the biggest baby in med-bay!"

"Aren't I the exception to every rule?" Kirk was obviously enjoying himself immensely.

"Captain, that is illogical." Spock quirked an eyebrow and Kirk grinned.

"Rules were made to be broken Spock, what can I say?"

"That is also highly illogical." Spock's other eyebrow went up and McCoy groaned,

"Just drop it Spock!"

"I fail to see what I could drop, as I am currently not holding anything." Spock observed.

"Forget it!" McCoy snapped and Kirk chuckled.

"Spock, I have the sneaking suspicion that you are very aware of our expressions but like to pretend otherwise," Kirk smiled coyly.

"Sir, I am a Vulcan, thus I can not-"

"Save it," Kirk held up his hand. "And don't say, 'save what?'"

"I will endeavor to refrain from asking clarifying questions from now on, as it was not my intention to cause distress." Spock cocked his head.

"We didn't mean you couldn't ever ask for clarification- ... oh forget it," McCoy shook his head. Spock's slight lip twitch was the equivalent of a Vulcan grin of triumph,

"Doctor, I have no intentions on forgetting the oddities of humans."

"That's it!" McCoy threw up his hands, "I quit!"

"That is regrettable, seeing that despite first impressions, you are a competent Doctor, though I fail to see why you are so quickly terminating a promising career, ... it is ... illogical."

McCoy looked ready to strangle Spock, but then he calmed himself down, "You think my career is promising?" He grinned.

"I was-"

There was another knock and the same young men entered. "Here is what I was able to find, they may not be the best fit, but they should be a lot warmer than your present boots. I managed to find gloves and cloaks as well." They thanked him gratefully, and he departed.

Cort had told him not to get boots for him, and looked down at his WWII combat boots, frowning as he pulled his own cloak on more tightly. He wasn't changing shoes, since, like Kett he managed to get emotionally attached to his articles of clothing. He looked around the rest of them, who were all apparently cold enough to use the new cloaks and boots.

The others finished up getting clothed, they looked slightly amusing and puffy, but no different than the others here. The doctor looked the happiest with the extra layer.

"I don't like the snow," he muttered.

"I love it," Dustin smiled. "It's so wet. where I'm from its so dry and powdery, good for skiing but not great for snow ball fights and building forts."

"Snow is great," Cort agreed, "But I've always preferred the summer myself."

Dustin shrugged, "They both have their perks. Do you want to build a snowman?"

"Not really," Cort frowned. He was still feeling tired, and he knew Dustin was nearing exhaustion himself. Plus the cold was doing nothing for his wounds.

"Sorry, it's from a movie. Katie, Jasper's little sister somehow managed to get us to watch it with her, a lot... Couldn't resist though."

"Sirs," Trerforn entered the tent, this time with no warning, "The storm is worsening. We can do no more now except hunker down and attempt to outlast it."

"Are we adequately prepared for this weather?" Cort spoke, already knowing the answer.

"No." Trerforn looked not only guilty, but slightly embarrassed, "We are made up of common-men after all."

"I am not disparaging." Cort cocked his head, just like Kett so often did, the exact same expression on his face as well, saying 'duh' while at the same time expressing a small amount of warmth and mystery, "I am just going to offer my help in that respect."

"How could you help?" Trerforn didn't look disbelieving, only curious.

"Oh no you don't!" McCoy had been growing more and more agitated, and now exploded, fury further digging his frown lines into his face, "I know you think you can, but don't you dare! I'll hypo you so bad you won't wake up until-"

"How many blankets do you need? Tents? Anything." Cort ignored the doctor. Trerforn looked torn, and McCoy spluttered indignantly at being ignored, and that's when Trerforn seemed to remember that Cort was a prince.

"We need a great amount of things your majesty, ... But are you sure you can-"

"He can't!" McCoy didn't stay down for long, and Cort turned to him slowly, giving the most stolid and intimidating glare that he could muster. It had made more powerful men than the doctor cower, but McCoy held his ground, "His majesty is still recovering from multiple injuries he suffered at the hands of tormentors-"

"And yet, he is still above you." Cort hated pulling rank, but he hated feeling useless even more, "And therefore is still in charge."

"Actually ..." Dustin intercepted from the side, "I beat you there; brother."

"I can't just sit by and do nothing when people are freezing to death out there!" Cort turned on him, feeling his anger sparking in an undeniably Coal-like way.

"Yes, but-"

"But nothing." Cort cut him off, determined to not have Trerforn swayed by their arguments. In that respect however, it was possibly too late, as the aforementioned general looked awkward and uncertain. "I am in no danger of dying, yet men out there are!" He looked straight at the general, "Tell me what you need."

"Your ... Majesty." Spock cleared his throat, "I fail to see how jeopardizing your health will result in the saving of these people."

"Spock is right, Your Grace," Kirk now spoke up, his face twisting into a smirk as he said the title, "Your wellbeing is more important to this army right now than blankets." McCoy looked triumphant enough to begin his rant again and stood up to do so.

Cort's only reply was to storm out of the tent, if they didn't help him, he'd find the holes in camp supplies himself. He knew he was being stupid, and possibly suicidal, but he was not about to let these people, innocent people, people who he now felt responsible for, die because he was too selfish to help when he could have. He was sick of seeing good men die in battles that had no right to draw them away from their families. Families that needed them. No, if he was here, he was going to do something.

Trerforn had been right. The blizzard was decidedly worse. Snow flurries attacked him from odd angles at infrequent moments. He knew they would come to get him, and in fact knew that at least two were already following. They proved to be difficult to lose, and it finally occurred to him when he finally shook them off, that they had been using their instruments to track him. Thank heavens for the storm. Obviously it was affecting their trackers. Yet that also told him that he could not stay in one place for too long, otherwise they would be able to pinpoint him.
Now suddenly thankful for the storm, despite his aching limbs, he moved quickly on.

He slowly guided himself to the perfect clearing, with somewhat more shelter from the storm, having remembered it from earlier. It was an exceptionally large clearing, big enough in fact for the entire army to fit inside it quite easily, and as it was right up against the mountainside, half protected and still quite well hidden, he knew he had chosen the perfect spot.

He planted his feet apart and closed his eyes, visualizing a huge tent in his mind, not tall, but extremely big. He could feel his energy sapping out of him, even as he stood there, yet he knew that there were only enough tents for the officials in the army and was determined to change at least that much before he went out. A few draining moments later, he was on his knees, and the tent was finished. His gaze was swimming, and he had made the tent white as snow, both of those together ensured that although he looked, he couldn't really see it.
He still had energy however, and was determined to use it. He focused again, allowing the inside of the tent to fill with piles upon piles of folded up cots. By now, he was having trouble even thinking, let alone staying awake, and was swaying dangerously on his knees. He fixed the white in front of him with his best stare, and commenced with making blankets, he was almost done too, when the whiteness around him began to get spots of black that swirled with the snow. He was aware of aching all over, and yet strove to ignore it while he continued his mission.

"Cort!" He heard someone call, possibly Dustin.

"Cassell!" Was that Kirk? It seemed that they had caught up with him at last, good thing too, because that's when he collapsed, the blackness swallowing up the last of the white.



Dustin was becoming too familiar of a sight to wake up to. When Cort finally managed to open his eyes he found himself in a cot, one of the ones he'd made of mist, and in proximity to a warm fire. Dustin noticed he was awake and came closer to him.

He grinned, "That was really stupid, going out alone in the middle of a blizzard, and doing something so drastic. You could have been buried in snow after you fainted. We wouldn't have been able to find your body, their instruments only pick up life signs."

"But I-"

"Well if you had waited a moment I would have offered my assistance, but then you stormed out of the tent, and the storm covered your tracks."

"Well, I-"

"Don't talk, you should save your energy for saying "but I didn't die" to Doctor McCoy. You know how Kirk had said that rules were made to be broken? Well laws aren't. There's a law called The Law of Conservation of Energy, states that energy is neither created not destroyed, only transferred from one state to another. I have a friend who can consciously control the flow of energy to fit her will. If she were with you, you never would have fainted. I can't do that, but I've found that even so, we all seem to draw energy from our friends."

Cort smiled wanly, touched at the sentiment. "Well where's your friend when you need her?"

Dustin laughed, "I don't know, she's probably at home watching TV."

Cort smiled, he was starting to get an idea of what Dustin was talking about, mostly from the scraps that August had shown him. Dustin's grin widened, "Here comes good old Bones- don't tell him I called him that. Good luck, you'll need it.

"What in the name of sanity were you thinking!!?" Yup, it was McCoy.

"I was thinking-"

"You could have killed yourself! And then where would we be? Who would tell your parents? You trying to kill yourself?"

Cort glanced at Dustin, "But I didn't die."

"What if you had?!!!" McCoy spluttered, looking incredulous.

"Then I suppose I would be buried in snow like Dustin said." Cort smiled slightly.

McCoy shook his head, unamused. "I never thought that my job as a doctor would be hard, I had thought that people would help me in trying to keep them alive. But no, I'm surrounded by a bunch of suicidal men, who put duty in front of their lives. You know, Jim actually died once! And Spock, ... well, he came close."

Cort glanced back at the captain, wait, he'd died? How?! "I'm sorry."

"You oughta be!" McCoy looked torn, "I can't keep putting people back together if they insist on tearing themselves apart!"

"I know."

"Yeah, so why'd you do it!?"

"Because I couldn't bear to see anyone freeze," Cort muttered. "Surely you can understand that?"

McCoy sighed, "I guess we're lucky you're still here, kid."

"Yeah, everyone is lucky I'm still here, except for me."

Dustin laughed, then stopped at a glance from McCoy. "And don't think you're off the hook," the doctor turned a glare to him.

Cort raised his eyebrows questioning, casting Dustin a 'What did you do?' look.

Dustin sighed, "I figured out a way to keep the fires going without fire wood or coal," his lips twisted into a smile. "I swear it doesn't take much energy. There's carbon dioxide in the air, I can get it to separate into carbon and oxygen. Then get the carbon to solidify, which can be burned. Then, the oxygen is breathed in, then breathed back out as carbon dioxide, and the fire takes the carbon and oxygen and turn them back into carbon dioxide-" he seemed to realize that Cort didn't know what he was talking about. "Anyways, I've done it a few times, and McCoy thinks I'm going to wear myself out..."

"You are gonna wear yourself out!" McCoy cut in.

"Yep, well there you have it."

Cort smiled, at least he wasn't alone in suffering the doctor's wrath.

"Bones!" Kirk finally walked over, obviously deciding that the Doctor had shouted at them enough, "I think they get it."

"Yes, you all get it, but you still never listen to me," McCoy shook his head.

"Bones, Bones, they're teenagers, they're resilient. They'll be all right."

"Fine. I'm switching professions, perhaps I would make a good bomb technician, or a physicist, a bricklayer, or even an escalator."

Kirk laughed, "Go ahead."

"But then you'd kill yourselves! Spock included!" Bones looked traumatized.

"Maybe that'd teach us." Kirk suggested, a smile tugging relentlessly on the side of his mouth.

"You have no idea how tempted I am." Bones looked up at him from his slumped/defeated position.

"We could always find a new doctor," Kirk suggested with a smile. "Finding another friend would be a little difficult though... Especially for poor Spock..."

"Jim," Spock stepped up, "I fail to see why you would refer to me as poor."

Kirk slapped his forehead, "Of course that's what you overheard."

"I overheard a more substantial amount than you have apparently assumed."

Kirk shook his head, "Someday I am going to get you two to admit that you like each other! What would either of you do without your quarreling?"

"Possibly make better use of our time." Spock's infamous eyebrow went up.

Dustin and Cort started laughing. The doctor and Spock glared at them, while Kirk smiled, "Oh well, it was worth a try."

"Are you truly determined for us to say something that isn't true?" Spock asked.

"See, I thought Vulcans couldn't lie!"

"It was only a question," Dustin helped Kirk out. "Not a statement."

"Ah, Spock, one day I'll get it out of you. ... One day ..."

"I think it will be a cold day in hell-"

"Bones, maybe it will. I look forward to that day."

"Ha, you would." McCoy snorted, and Cort finally spoke up again,

"So has the storm finally blown over?"

The captain shook his head, "Sadly, no. I heard someone say they think it will be a few hours more. They looked a little, ah... experienced."

"Didn't Spock say it too?" Dustin looked knowing.

"Ah, yes, ... And there was that." Kirk looked slightly embarrassed.

Cort laughed. "So... We have nothing to do except listen to Doctor McCoy patronize us, and make jokes for a few hours."

"Well you have nothing else," McCoy muttered.

"Then what are you going to do?" Cort raised an eyebrow and McCoy growled at his Spock impression,

"Patronize you."

They all laughed. "Why can't you go patronize strangers, Bones? That guy over there is a few dumb mistakes away from losing a hand if he keeps playing with his sword like that."

"Ha!" Bones snorted, glancing at the man Kirk had motioned towards, "With your luck, if it slips out of his hand, it will impale you, not him."

"The chances of that are substantially higher Captain," Spock agreed.

"What are you basing that conclusion off of?" Kirk looked not only surprised but affronted.

"Past experiences." Spock deadpanned.

"I- ... well, then ..." Kirk huffed a frown. "I hope this storm blows over soon."

"Me too." Cort, having been lost In his thoughts for a few moments now came out of them to agree.

"And what would you do?" McCoy's look was murderous.

"... Scout?" Cort seemed to realize his mistake.

McCoy shook his head, "I'm done, no one ever listens to me." He threw his arms in the air and stormed off. Cort began to realize how big the tent he made was. He had to admit that he was proud.

"He'll be fine." Kirk laughed, "He's just tense."

"How did you make this tent?" Spock had obviously been waiting to ask that.

"With mist." Cort shrugged simply.

Spock raised an eyebrow, "That does not explain how. How did you do this with only water?"

"Magic," Cort groaned.

"'Magic's just science that we don't understand yet.'" Dustin smiled slightly.

Spock nodded in agreement, "I would be fascinated to know the science behind it."

"I couldn't help you there." Cort shrugged, quickly regretting it.

Spock had a contemplative look that kind of worried Cort. "Once we get back to the Enterprise..."

"We probably won't." Cort spoke hopefully.

"It may indeed take us a longer amount of time than previously calculated, though you may disappear before," Spock actually frowned, minute though it may have been.

"Possibly," Cort agreed. It was a very interesting situation.

Spock was about to say something else but was interrupted a large commotion on the other side of the tent. Loud yelling. Something about a sister.

"We should go check that out," Dustin stated, he glanced around. "Bones isn't nearby," he told Cort.

"I thought it was quiet." Cort started to get up.

Dustin helped him up, Cort was slightly suprised. They were going to suffer McCoy's wrath. "You were asleep for a day and a half," Dustin began to explain. "Dr. McCoy is just... Exacting revenge."

"Ah," Cort nodded, understanding , "I can see why."

Cort couldn't believe he had slept that long, and he still felt somewhat tired. But he felt good enough to join the excitement. When they got out there, the first thing they saw was flailing limbs, but that only made it marginally harder to see that McCoy was one of the owner of a pair of those arms.

"Bones!" Kirk started forward.

They were all slightly surprised when he straightened up and punched a man with a cocky smile and a hurt fist squarely in the eye. The man roared in pain, a murderous glean in his eyes. He charged, but McCoy had secretly pulled a hypo out, and jabbed it in the arm, and th he man fell helpless to the ground.

They we even more surprised when the room took to cheering. McCoy smiled sheepishly, the spotted their little group. "What are you doing out of bed?" he demanded, loudly. Cort had to admit he was slightly intimidated.

"Seeing what was going on?" Cort hadn't meant for it to come out as a question, but that's how it sounded.

"Well you saw," McCoy growled.

"Yes," Kirk agreed, "But I think we're all still confused on what exactly happened."

"It's ... He was being a bas- bully." McCoy looked at the ground.

"He was..." Kirk trailed.

"He wouldn't leave this guy's sister alone."

"Who?" Kirk looked expectant.

McCoy gestured behind him, to a young man and a girl no older than eight. Kirk frowned slightly, but smiled quickly. "How could anyone bully such a sweet little girl?"

"I'm sure you did when you were her age," McCoy muttered. "He would," he said louder, "an army is no place for children, but they're all they've got."

"Who's the perpetrator?" Kirk's eyes got harder.

McCoy laughed, "The guy on the ground."

"Yes," Kirk blushed a little at that before clarifying, "But he was alone in this?"

"Well I don't know, why don't you ask them yourself?" McCoy replied.

"Them?" Kirk turned to look at him questioningly.

McCoy sighed, then turned himself. "How long has this guy been bothering you?" he asked the young man.

"Today?" The young man had a big black eye, and his arms were held protectively around his younger sister, "Not too long." He frowned at McCoy's look, then rescinded his previous answer, "He bugs us about once a day, twice tops." The man shrugged.

"No disciplinary action has been taken?" Kirk asked.

"Our commanders are busy enough." The man defended his lack of tattling.

"I agree." Dustin stepped forward, "But I, on the other hand, am completely free." The man looked confused, but then he recognized who they were. He nodded mutely. "What are the forms of punishment in this army? I'm sure I could arrange something. It is sad when the members of such an army behave no better than the people you are trying to free themselves."

"Usually, it's just getting kicked out of the army and going home to your family with a hanging head." The protective soldier with the black eye spoke up. Cort somehow knew that the punishment was far worse than that, and had to respect the victim for protecting his bully in that small way.

"Being sent home from an army that desperately needs men it's definitely a humbling experience," Dustin said kindly. "Unfortunately, I think this army desperately needs men, and I don't think we would be doing this man any service by sending him home. He would probably die along the way. Besides, we might make a soldier out of him yet." Dustin grinned widely, "I think I have an idea, I'll be right back."

He practically skipped away. They all looked at each other, the young man with a black eye looked especially questioningly at Cort, who could only shrug. "He does not walk like a king." The man noted.

"He doesn't like that he is one," Cort explained.

Dustin ran back. He turned to the girl. "I have a friend who's sister is about your age. She's practically my sister, her name is Kate. What's your name?"

"Hailey," the girl said shyly.

"Hailey, that's a pretty name, I like it. You're as pretty as your name too. Well Hailey, have you ever had your breakfast in bed?"

Hailey nodded slowly. "Once on my birthday." Her voice was high and unsure.

"Ah, birthdays are fun. Well, I think you deserve to have your breakfast in bed more often. Someone to ask you if you need anything often. Refill your canteen, get you extra blankets. I think that our unconscious friend will learn to respect you when he's waiting on you and doing just that. Perhaps he will learn some humility. From now on, you are a respected figure in this army. The best way to learn to love someone is to serve then. Don't worry, I'll make sure that he doesn't misbehave."

"So I will be like a princess?" Hailey looked slightly hopeful.

Dustin smiled, "Well, the thing about being a princess, is you have to be of royal birth."

"Oh," the girl looked downcast.

"So, you already are one." She looked at him curiously. "I think you'll understand it someday. So, Hailey, what are your first orders, you know, after he wakes up." He glanced at McCoy questioningly. "About when will he wake up?"

"About an hour, unless he's not very strong, which I doubt." McCoy rubbed his bruising jaw thoughtfully.

"Well then, he's going to have a lovely time when he wakes up in about an hour," Dustin noted. Cort had to smile at Dustin's solution, thinking that even though he'd been really lenient, it was a super appropriate punishment. He could feel his headache coming back with a vengeance, and winced slightly when Hailey giggled at something Kirk said.

"All right!" McCoy snapped, obviously having caught Cort's expression before he neutralized it, "Back ta bed with you! No more excitement!"

Cort threw his hands in the air and began marching back to bed. "Fine, no more excitement, I'll just go lay in bed until I die."

"You're not dying are you?" Hailey's sweet voice asked.

"No," Cort smiled. "The doctor here keeps ordering me to bed. I don't think I'm ever going to get to leave it."

"Oh, quit being melodramatic. You'll heal soon enough. But it would be sooner if you quit trying to kill yourself at regular intervals," McCoy grumbled.

"I'm not!" Cort protested as he was herded back into the tent, "I'm just trying to save other people!"

"Ha!" McCoy snorted, "You an' Jim both! Stupid sacrificial..." He trailed off, muttering, and Cort collapsed onto his cot rather gratefully. The last sounds he heard before falling asleep were that of McCoy ranting and Hailey giggling.

Author's Note

Hopefully you made it through this, and even if you didn't, kudos to me, cause I did.