a_mused | no (wo)man is an island - for bitcheslovehypos

No. Jane sits rigid in her chair. She can feel the stunned expressions on her crews faces as they all take in what was just said.

But Jane can't even let herself imagine the implications. She can't let her control slip long enough to try to picture what could have happened or how badly Bones might be hurt.

Everyone thinks Jane is the most reckless mouthy member of their crew, the one most prone to getting her ass handed to her, they forget exactly who their CMO is.

She breathes out sharp and fast before answering.

"Making friends without me, Dr. McCoy? I'm hurt. I'm sure they wouldn't mind talking to me, seeing how they're such good friends of yours."

Len’s mind is racing. Her primary concern is twofold; Lt. Hendroff and her patients, and getting them out of there in one piece. The rebellion, the ruling body, they can all go hang themselves for all she cares. Her focus is more immediate, and contained within the building. That’s all that matters to her. Their captors have no problem using violence. They’ve made THAT perfectly clear.

She’s got her work cut out for her.

“You know me, Captain. I’m a people person.” She gives them an unamused smile. “Not sure you’d like them, though. They’re a bunch of morons. Not one brain cell to rub together among the - ” Her insulting diatribe is cut off by the swift punch the rebel leader hauls off and swings at her face and pain explodes in her head. But never let it be said that Len McCoy can’t take a hit. His blow staggers her, but she remains standing. She huffs a pained laugh, hand clenching into a fist. She tastes blood, can feel the blood trickling down her cheek, and she’s fairly certain he cracked something on top of making that bruise that’s forming a damn sight worse, but she’s all right.

It’ll take a lot more than that to shut her up. “I think that’s a yes. He’d love to speak to you.”

Jane wasn't the only one rearing back when that slap echoed across the Bridge. She raised a hand without looking because if Spock took her eyes off that screen monitoring Bones location, they could very well lose her and that wasn't even a possibility Jane was willing to entertain. Kidnapping a Starfleet officer was a serious offense. Harming a member of Jane's crew was worse. She drummed her fingers on her armrest and choked down her anger.

"I thought he would. Seeing how he's just that friendly."

“Oh yeah. He’s a real peach.” Len winced as the gash on her cheek pulled. Not that it was that noticeable through the throbbing that was her cheekbone and face right now. It was just a cherry on a shit sundae. She wasn’t concussed, she was fairly certain, but it was possible she was and her bell was just too rung for her to notice yet.

I hate this goddamn planet.

The bastard who punched her ripped the comm. out of her hand, and she let him. She needed to choose her battles, and she let that one go. She had more important shit to worry about. Like trying to figure out how she was going to get them all out of this friggin’ mess.

He tries that shit again, he won't have hands. Jane wants to claw out the bastards eyeballs for even looking at Bones sideways. And they haven't even started negotiating.

"Kidnapping and assaulting Starfleet officers is a crime against the Federation," Jane idly states. She doesn't know who they're dealing with. Which faction of this goddamn messy revolution she's talking to, and she's finding it really hard to give a damn when the asshole starts rambling at her in a thick guttural tone that the translator is having one hell of a time parsing.

By the time the translator starts picking up more than every other word, Jane's done listening. "You want to be respected? Then release them."

Len will apologise to Jane later, but she has every intention of being the most infuriating pain in the ass she can manage to these bastards. She figures if she keeps their attention on her, they’ll leave Hendroff and her patients alone. Until she can get them better protected.

Jane’s going to hate her for this.

She isn’t surprised when the dumb ass refuses Jane’s terms. But it doesn’t stop her from speaking up. “Are you out of your friggin’ mind? You’re not earning any goddamn brownie points by being stupid.” Apparently he really didn’t appreciate all the insults to his intelligence, because he nods to two of his men and one’s grabbing her arms while the other drives a punch into her ribcage.

Somehow she manages to swallow the grunt of pain, but the pain still sends her sagging into the grip of the man holding her arms, and she silently adds a couple broken ribs and more bruises to her catalogue of injuries. She gives a soft, breathless laugh. “Boy, you’re damn touchy about your intelligence, aren’t you. Maybe you should try ACTING like it.”

Yeah, Jane’s going to be pissed.

“I’m the only one you need. Let Hendroff go, as a show of good faith. Leave the patients alone. Keep me.” Once the others were taken care of... then she could worry about herself.

"Captain, we are receiving minor interference from the planet."

Jane glanced at Spock whose head was bent over her console as she spoke.

"It does not appear to be related to the faction holding Dr. McCoy in its custody."

"Fantastic." Jane rubs her face. She wants her crew out of there. She wanted them out yesterday. This was how they lost lives. "Government?"

"It is a possibility."

Jane twisted in her seat and frowned. "Care to be clearer, Commander?"

"Negative. It is coming from an unpopulated location."

Well wasn't that wonderful? "Let me know if it gets any worse."

She swings the chair around and launches to her feet. She paces a few steps and then turns, punching the comm with her thumb, coming to an abrupt decision that flew in the face of every regulation in the book.

"You've got demands. I'm listening."

WHAT??

Goddamn it, Jane. She’s breaking every regulation in the damn book. And she didn’t want the captain digging a bigger hole than she could get out of. She’s clenching her jaw, swallowing every diatribe she’s ACHING to throw at Jane. “Captain.” That’s all she allows herself.

Don’t do this. Not for me.

She turns her attention back to their captor, making one more last ditch effort to try and get at least Hendroff to safety. “Listen to me, damn it.. Let them go. It’ll earn you a whole hell of a lot of brownie points with the Federation.” Not with Jane, though. No... she’s more likely to shoot ‘em than anything else. Once this is all over. She doesn’t care if Jane hears. She’s going to figure out her plans sooner or later.

It might as well be now. “Let Hendroff return to the ship. Leave the patients alone. The captain is listening to your demands. Make a show of good faith.” Come on, you stupid bastard. Don’t be a damn fool for once in your miserable life.

Len, come on. Trust her a little. Jane settles her hands on her hips and bows her head, breathing out a rough sigh. She gets what Bones is doing. She does. That doesn't mean she needs to like it.

The demands when they come weren't even shocking. Weapons, legitimacy, the chance to hold a private meeting with the planets leadership, oh and the threat that everyone will end up dead if they're not fulfilled. Jane rubs the back of her neck, easing none of the tension winding tighter in her shoulders.

"Show of good faith. Release Dr. McCoy's patients into our care and we'll set up a call with the council."

She DOES. She trusts Jane with her life. But she’s the only thing standing directly between a whole lot of men with weapons and her patients. She trusts Jane to get them out of there, but she will do anything she needs to protect her patients until she does.

And that includes making herself a target, and trying to make herself the lone hostage.

She watches the man in charge contemplate Jane’s offer. She’s not sure he’s smart enough to realise that NOT taking the opportunity that the captain is offering him would be in his best interests. Choking down another disparaging comment about his intelligence hurts, but she manages it. If it gets her patients out of there... she will swallow her derision.

It’s with surprise that she watches him nod decisively. His demanding that Captain Kirk will call the council, NOW, isn’t a surprise. But he agrees. For the time being. She doesn’t breathe a sigh of relief, though. There’s still time for him to change his mind, and even if he doesn’t, that leaves Hendroff. But she can handle that.

Leaving Hendroff down there was the point. Jane nods imperceptibly and watches Chekov fly from her chair to get to the transporter room. They needed their best at the controls because Jane still wasn't sure what they were dealing with.

She pages medical, insists on quarantine procedures, and then drops her head in her hands.

"Uhuro, get in touch with the planets leader. We don't want any unnecessary fights." She stops and shakes her head, swinging in her hair to face her first officer who has been observing her with a deliberately neutral expression that Jane only now realized was shrewd.

"Spock, take the conn. I...am seriously emotionally compromised." Jane gets to her feet and rubs a hand over the back of her neck. "She's all yours. I'll be in my quarters."

She swept one last look around the Bridge and the stunned, sympathetic expressions facing her. She could not fail them. She knew when to back down from a mission she was too close to.

Edited 2014-03-25 02:58 (UTC)

That might be the point to Jane, but Len was going to do her damndest to get the lieutenant safely OFF the planet as quickly as possible. It wasn’t that she considered herself more expendable, but she considered it part of her duties as chief medical officer to do what she could to protect her crew. Even if it meant putting herself in danger to do so.

Christ, it was actually a relief to hear the sound of the transporters for once, and she breathed a little easier once her patients were out of harm’s way. One damn problem solved. The next... probably wasn’t going to be so easy.

Her head hurt like hell; there was no doubt that there was some kind of fracture or break going on, but she wouldn’t know for certain until she could run a couple of tests. Her ribs weren’t doing much better, but she was doing a damn fine job of hiding both. She didn’t feel like letting these bastards know just how much she was injured.

Or Jane, once she was back on the damn ship.

Edited 2014-03-26 09:59 (UTC)

Jane didn't even make it on to the lift before being stopped. Spock stepped in beside her right as the doors began to close. "Captain."

"Spock, I thought I left you the ship."

Spock inclined her head, which, hey, at least Jane wasn't going crazy and Spock was more or less abandoning her post. "I believe you are making a mistake."

"And why is that?" Jane asks.

"We currently have the exact locations of Dr. McCoy and Lt. Hendroff." Spock paused and assessed Jane in silence. Jane, who moments ago felt the weight of everyone on this ships judgement crushing her. "They are being transported onto the ship on my command."

"Spock, I could kiss you." Or hug her. Yeah. Hugging is happening. Jane isn't even going to apologize. Not even when Spock stiffens in Jane's arms.

"Unnecessary, Captain. I am merely doing what you would have done had you remained on the Bridge."

"But I didn't," Jane said, releasing Spock and clapping her gamely on the shoulder.

Spock arched a brow. "Which is why I elected to inform you in person."

"You're a good friend, Spock."

And before Spock could give that statement enough thought to formulate a response, Jane was out the door running. Tearing through the halls to the transporter room like someone had lit fire to her ass.

Bones was coming home.

She was coming home.

“Where is your captain,” the rebel leader shouted, leaning into Len’s face. Now that her patients were safe, she was relaxed. She could keep Lt Hendroff out of harm’s way, and not have to worry about them on top of it.

“I don’t know!” she retorted. “It takes time to organize what you want, you impatient bastard. Give her time to work!”

“I don’t have time for this!”

“MAKE TIME!” she hollered, finally losing her patience. And her temper. “She’s a goddamn miracle worker sometimes, but you don’t get to make demands and then get all bitchy when it takes time to get those demands in order.” She’d had enough of these goddamn idiots. “So sit down, shut up, and WAIT.”

Her diatribe earned her another blow, and she went sprawling. Lt. Hendroff looked angry enough to spit tacks, but Len shook her head, stopping any possible action the lieutenant might have taken. She didn’t need Hendroff getting hurt in a misplaced attempt to defend her. Spitting out blood, she heard the sound of transporters again.

Well I’ll be damned.

"Please. Please. Please." Jane gripped the transporter panel, breathing harshly through her nose. Poor Chekov looked like she might throw up beside her as she watched the screen as the transporter locked on its targets. "Come on, Bones."

The sound of the transporter shifted and changed, rising to a sharp, high pitched whine before fading out abruptly. Son of a bitch. That wasn’t a good sound. And seeing as how they were still on the planet, something had gone wrong.

And their captor looked pissed.

His hand closed around her throat and he shoved her back onto one of the empty hospital beds. Len’s ribs screamed in pain at the awkward angle, but she had more important things to worry about. “She LIED!” he shouted in her face. “What is she trying to pull? What is her plan???”

“Well, you’re such a trustworthy sort, I don’t know WHY she would try and do something like this,” she retorted, knowing damn well what her mouthing off was going to get her. But she was so damn tired of this asshole. His hand tightened, and she scrabbled at his fingers, trying to loosen his grip. “You kill me and she will tear your planet apart,” she gasped. Not Starfleet, not ‘they’... HER. She knew Jane well enough that she wouldn’t take kindly to a bunch of damn fools killing one of her officers when they’d been called to the planet to HELP. And she wasn’t sure Spock’s damn logic would be enough to stop her if they did.

Hendroff hit the platform to alarms blaring and blood was trickling from her nose.

Jane smashed her fist on the console. "What the hell just happened?!"

"The source of the disruption appears to have come from the Capitol, Captain."

Jane sucked in a sharp breath. "Uhuro, hail the High Chancellor."

"Sir, they're already on screen."

"Great."

Jane stood silent and tense in the middle of the transporter room. And then came to a decision.

"Spock, take care of our girl. If they start firing on us get us the hell out here." She moved then, moved without warning, disarming one of her own security team and jumped on the transporter pad.

"I'm going down there. Chekov get me as close to the edge of that disruption field as possible."

"Aye, Keptin." Her fingers flew across the screen and then she looked up at Jane with a nod.

She was coming for you Bones. Just hang in there a little longer.

"Energize."

Apparently he didn’t understand just how serious a threat a pissed off Jane T. Kirk could be. Or else he was as stupid as he appeared and just didn’t give a damn. His hand kept tightening, and Len knew the exact amount of pressure her throat could take before permanent damage occurred, and just how much time she had left before she ran out of air.

She didn’t have time for this. And she was so damn tired of this asshole and his stupidity.

She fumbled for the tray of surgical tools sitting next to the hospital bed he’d pinned her to; his stupidity had no friggin’ bounds. “Let go,” she wheezed, still scrabbling to loosen his grip with her other hand to try and keep him from noticing what she was actually doing.

Grabbing a hold of the first tool she could get her hand on, she pressed it to his neck. “I said,” she rasped, “Let. GO. Or I will cut your goddamn throat.”

Jane rematerialized with her phaser drawn and armed but the desert she landed in was devoid of any kind of life. She straightened, squinting against the glare of the dual suns.

"Enterprise, send me the coordinates of our last beam out."

"Sending coordinates, ma'am."

Spock's voice came rippling across the comm with that special sort of judgey tone she reserved just for Jane.

"Captain, I must as is you to return to the ship. All electronic devices will cease to be functional once you enter the disrupters field."

"I know that, Commander. I just need a heading."

There was a crackle of static. "Very well."

The moment the readout came through she was off like a shot.

He didn’t, and Len pressed the tool against his neck, HARD; hard enough to draw blood. And she could see the moment he realised she wasn’t fucking kidding around. His eyes widened, and his hand loosened around her neck.

“You won’t.”

“You threatened my patients. Damn right I will,” she snapped breathlessly. Never mind that he’d hit her; he’d threatened her damn patients. She had his immediate threat dealt with; he couldn’t do anything without her getting in a good jab to his throat. But he had men and women behind him with a hankering to defend him, only god knew why. “Tell your people to drop their goddamn weapons.”

They were lucky, so fucking lucky, Jane thought as she slid her way down a sand dune and pelted toward a craggy outcropping in the direction she'd been sent. If she didn't deviate from the path, she should be stumbling over Bones last known location any minute.

Which, of course, would explain why the ground gave out under her, sending her tumbling with a shocked shout.

The whine of phasers greeted her on landing.

It sounded like the goddamn roof had caved in somewhere, and the sound distracted some of the rebels. Not their leader; all his attention was firmly affixed to Len and the scalpel she had pressed to his throat.

“Your planet is falling apart around your goddamn ears. Tell your men to drop their weapons!” She was so goddamn tired of this. She was tired of this planet, she was tired of the idiots posing as rebels. She was just TIRED.

Reluctantly, he waved a hand at his men, and the sound of weapons dropping to the ground was goddamn music to her ears. She fisted a hand in his tunic and shoved him off of her, keeping the scalpel pressed tightly to his throat all the while. Shifting from being bent backwards over the medical bed to standing upright nearly took her breath away, but the scalpel didn’t fucking waver.

Jane scowled up at the dirt ceiling as a few clods fell down around her. And she didn't look before firing her phaser at the source of movement behind her.

"Don't take another step, or next time I won't miss."

She glanced behind her, satisfied to see the lone guard lowering his weapon and raising his hands with a look of disbelief. Jane's smile was grim as she fired the phaser a second time and the man fell to the floor, unconscious.

"Good choice."

Jane scrambled to her feet and waited a beat until she was sure no one else was coming before creeping down the hall toward the sounds of raised voices.

One more heartbreakingly familiar than any. She came in behind them, aiming her phaser at the head of the first man to notice her.

She loudly cleared her throat and stepped forward. "Next time I tell you to beam out, McCoy, I expect you to beam the fuck out."

Len was completely unsurprised to see Jane. A chance to fling herself headlong into danger? Of course she’d take it. And one of her crew was in danger. If anything would get Jane to jump into trouble, it was that.

Mostly... she was just relieved to see her. She really didn’t want to have to stab him in the throat.

“Wasn’t exactly my choice, Captain,” she retorted, voice hoarse, not moving her eyes from the man under her scalpel. Still pressing the blade hard against his neck, she backed him over to where his associates were being covered by Jane and her phaser. “Don’t fuck with a doctor,” she ground out, before giving him a hard shove that sent him tumbling into the arms of his people.

"Did you actually draw blood? Damn." That's nice, Bones. Now make it back to Jane's side and help her bluff their way out of there. While she fiddles with the stupid phaser's controls so it would overload. There's only two of them, and a roomful of angry thugs who clearly had some death wishes between them.

Jane grabs Bones by the sleeve and shoves her behind her.

"Do you know how hard it is to find a quality doctor out in this quadrant? And you were willing to risk having that, for what? Power? Money?"

Jane inched back the way she had come. "I was actually prepared to set up that meeting with the council."

She stopped when she felt her phaser begin to tremble and heat. "It sucks for you that they won't have anyone to debate with."

Jane shoved Bones hard back through the door and tossed her phaser in a casual arc at the leader. "Here. Maybe your luck will get better."

She only had a second to grab Bones by the middle and send them smashing into the hard, dirty floor. The explosion rocked the cavern and Jane screamed as heat ripped over her back.

no (wo)man is an island - for bitcheslovehypos

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