Chapter Text
Jim had been able to endure the physical torture better. He’d been beat up before, at least. He was used to it, in a sick sort of way. Someone messing with his head, though, going in there and having their way with him, that was a whole new realm of shit.
He knew he had to escape, but he couldn't quite remember why. He kept feeling as though he'd almost got it, when they reached into his mind again and he was left drifting in agony. The room was dark but the colors flashing in front of his eyes would've kept him from really seeing anything anyway. Or maybe his eyes were closed. He couldn't control his body, couldn't do anything. Fragments of words slipped from his lips, nothing making sense. He wasn't even trying to communicate anything at that point. Images flashed before him, memories, probably; people yelling at him, the smell of cigarette smoke, pain.
He could barely think. The world was spinning. He didn't know who he was.
Oddly, it didn't seem to matter.
The presence in his head pulled back some, and he felt nauseous. The edge of his awareness registered hearing what he thought might have been a laugh… Was someone laughing at him? Then a yell. From… farther away? He tried to open his eyes, which he was pretty sure had fallen closed. It worked, sort of; he saw some blurry stuff, but he couldn't focus. He realized that was because he was moving. Someone was dragging him, somewhere.
Another yell, from closer, from the same voice. He recognized the voice? He pried his eyelids open, with more success than the first time, and tried to scan the room for the source. He was able to spot a flash of blue before his brain was scrambled again.
He may have screamed, or maybe someone else was screaming, or maybe it was all in his head. Something hit his back, stayed there.
His head was on fire.
He was floating.
His mouth felt fuzzy.
His foot hurt.
It was very bright.
At some point he realized that no one was in his head anymore. He still couldn't really think, couldn't do anything. It was like someone had taken a baseball bat to the inside of his head.
He drifted.
It got hot.
His foot was throbbing.
He passed out, possibly for the second time. Or third or fourth, he really had no idea.
When he woke up, someone was in his head again. He braced himself for pain, despite not being able to do anything to stop it before.
Jim? The word echoed through his head. That hadn't happened before.
Wha… hu…who? He responded eloquently.
You will be alright, Jim. The presence said, a hint of affection appearing in Jim's mind. Whoever it was felt alright in his head, he guessed. They weren't hurting Jim, so he figured it was fine, like they said. There also wasn't anything he could do about it if it wasn't fine.
He sort of drifted again, slowly remembering some things, which was nice, and slowly regaining awareness of his extremities, which was painful but probably good anyway. At some point, he realized he knew who was with him.
Spock? he thought.
Yes, Jim? How are you feeling? Spock answered.
Can’t you tell since you’re… in my head or whatever?
I wished to ascertain how lucid you were, as well as your awareness of our surroundings.
Uhhhhh, y’know I’m… eh. I dunno… dude… What the fuck happened? Spock was quiet for a minute, and Jim realized that Spock was doing something to make Jim’s head make sense again.
We were captured by the inhabitants of this planet.
I kinda figured that much, thanks.
You recover your ability to employ sarcasm remarkably quickly, Jim. Jim could feel Spock’s tinge of amusement with the thought.
What can I say, Spock… it’s one of my natural… talents… Jim could feel himself fading out of consciousness again, although he tried to fight it.
It is alright, Jim, you can rest more.
No, I… where are we now? Jim asked, registering motion around them. Are we on… the Enterprise?
We are headed across the desert toward the alien settlement; as our communicators were taken from us we must return to a location where the Enterprise’s sensors would be searching for us, as I am assuming that we have been missing and unresponsive for long enough to warrant alarm.
Oh… That… that’s great, Spock…. Thank you… he thought as he faded into unconsciousness.