How The Mighty Have Fallen

How The Mighty
Have Fallen
By T'Thrill

Series: TOS Part: 1/17 Rating: [NC-17] m/m Codes: K/C, K/m (Some surprises that I do not want to give away, but all m/m)

Summary: This is the story of Pavel Chekov and how he came to be assigned to the USS Enterprise. It follows his service throughout the original mission. There is a sequel in this same thread, "In Your Shadow," which is a part of the Ensign fuq-fest.

Acknowledgment: Many thanks to my friend Marcee, who has been a wonderful beta during the writing of this story. Many times she has put her own work on hold to assist me. Without her, this story would have never been finished. Also, thanks to Karmen Ghia who read the original, "sweeter" version and inspired me to push myself further. Thank you, Karmen, for helping me to find the depth to this story.

Warning: This story contains adult themes and with explicit m/m sex. If you are not interested in such things, or are under eighteen years of age, please find your entertainment elsewhere.

Disclaimer: Copyright October 2000 by T'Thrill. This story is an original work of amateur fiction based on the Star Trek universe created by and solely owned by Paramount, Viacom, and all of its entities. I make no financial gain from this work of amateur fiction what so ever.

Archive: ASCEML, COCO_SSD and BLTS provided that all header information is included. Please archive complete text only. All others, please ask first by contacting me at [email protected]. Thanks in advance.

Comments: Feedback is always welcome either through the newsgroup or a private email.

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"How The Mighty Have Fallen"

Ensign Pavel Andreievich Chekov, newly commissioned and nine days post-graduation, boarded the USS Enterprise. Being first in his class had always brought him rewards above and beyond the normal cadet, however, at this moment, he wished he had been a little further back in the line for the crew draft. It was said that Captain James Kirk, known around the campus as "James the Mighty," as in mighty strict, mighty demanding, and mighty pissed when you screwed up, only selected the best for his command, but you certainly paid the price in the long run. When his assignment was posted, his fellow fledgling officers had given him hell, telling every tale of woe that they could think of regarding this infamous Captain. No, serving under Kirk was not his concept of an ideal first assignment.

A yeoman showed him to his quarters and he spent the next hour stowing his gear and studying the layout of the ship. All he needed was to not be able to find his way to the bridge for his first shift. His COM unit beeped and he pressed the "receive" button. "Ensign Chekov, here," he spoke into the unit. A face that he knew well from Academy recognition plaques and news vids flared onto the screen.

"Ensign Chekov, I am waiting on you on the bridge!"

Chekov blinked and knew he was staring dumbfounded at the screen. "Captain Kirk! Sir...I...I..."

Without waiting for the young man on the screen to form a coherent sentence, Kirk continued abruptly. "It is usual protocol to report to your Commanding Officer upon boarding a new ship, is it not? You embarked one-point-two hours ago, Mister Chekov. Is there any reason that you have decided keep your presence on the ship a secret?"

He knew of no such code of behavior, but he was not going to start his stint onboard by admitting his ignorance of, evidently, such an important custom. "No--No, Sir! I was just--I will report right away, Sir."

"See to it, Ensign. I expect you to be in front of me within five minutes, understood?"

"Aye, Sir!"

"Shit!" Chekov muttered to himself as the screen went blank. He checked the mirror quickly to make sure that he looked ship-shape and left the safety of the cabin. In his panic, he could not remember which way to turn to get to the turbolift. He turned right and ran down the corridor, only to be stopped by someone who wore the insignia of Chief Engineer.

"Whoa, laddie, where's the fire?" the man said to him in a thick Scottish accent.

Chekov quickly pulled himself up to attention. "Sir?"

"Now, if we were having a red alert, I could understand your hurry, but last I looked, we are still in space dock. Not many reasons to tear up the ship when we are still tethered to the remotes, now is there?"

"Sir, no, sir!"

"I'm Commander Montgomery Scott, Chief of Engineering. And, just who might you be?"

"Commander Scott, I am Ensign Chekov... Pavel. I have been ordered to the bridge, and I am unable to locate the lift, sir."

"AHHH...that is something that I can help you with. See that corridor on the left, right behind you?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Turn there and take about ten paces. It'll be right in front of you."

"Thank you, Commander Scott!" Chekov turned to dash down the corridor.

"And son, if I were you, I wouldn't let the Captain catch me running through the corridors like that. It makes him just a wee bit unhappy to hear of his officers running over his crew."

"Yes, of course, thank you," he called over his shoulder as he located the deceptive corridor.

He thought he overheard a chuckle and something that sounded like, "Good luck, lad," but he wasn't certain and he wasn't going to take time to find out. He looked at his wrist, four minutes. No problem now that he had found the illusive portal.

Reaching the access point, he pressed the call button. It seemed to take forever to respond. Finally, he was inside and called "Bridge" into the voice control.

The ultra-feminine mechanical voice responded, "Your security clearance does not allow access to that location. Please choose another destination."

Pavel leaned against the side of the infernal lift and whispered a string of obscenities in his native Russian.

Kirk sat in his command chair on the bridge, monitoring the new Ensign's ongoing attempts to access the required destination.

McCoy stood at his side and shook his head. "Ya know, Jim, I don't understand why you do this to all of the new officers that come onboard."

"A test of their determination and deductive reasoning, Bones. It is the best way I know to test the instincts of these young officers without putting them into danger. This man was at the top of his class, but I can tell more in these first few minutes than from any of the simulator scores he had in the Academy. It was the way I was broken in."

"Well, I don't like it. Seems like a lotta stress to hand them right off."

"He's going to face much more stressful situations out there. Now, if he gives up and buzzes me, I can tell that he is not going to be someone who thinks on his feet. But if he finds out a way to get up here, and doesn't make excuses for his tardiness, then he'll do just fine."

"This whole thing just seems too dammed malicious to me, but you're the Captain!"

"Well, thank you for that, at least. I could swear that sometimes you think you're in charge!" Jim smiled at his friend and Chief Medical Officer.

"Sometimes, I am! You just don't know it!"

There were snickers of agreement among the bridge crew. Jim shook his head.

Chekov glanced at the wrist chrono. He had exactly three minutes to gain access to the bridge. He tried to remember the layout of the ship. If he remembered correctly, the officer's mess was one level below the bridge. "Officers dinning room," he said into the voice control. He breathed a sigh of relief as he felt a small jolt when the lift set off in that direction. The doors opened and he exited into the corridor outside the dining area. He knew there had to be an emergency tube in case of power failure, but when he located it and palmed the hatch, a beep sounded and a message appeared stating he did not have the security clearance to access this portal. He was directed to another location where he could gain passage to the lower decks. Damn! He needed to go up, not down! He headed back to the turbolift. Waiting on the lift was a blond yeoman, carrying a tray with cups of coffee and tea, and balancing it all on a data pad.

Pavel slowed his pace and tried to look nonchalant as he strode to the door. "Where are you headed?" he asked in an offhanded manner.

"The bridge," she answered.

"Oh good, me too. Can I give you some assistance with that?" He nodded toward items she was carrying.

Then she turned to really look at him. "You are headed to the bridge? I've never seen you before, especially on the Command Deck."

"Just came aboard today. I am Pavel Chekov, Ensign, Navigation Systems." He glanced at his chrono, six minutes since he was summoned.

The doors opened and they stepped inside.

"Bridge," she stated into the control. "Oh, I've heard of you. You are supposed to be some kind of whiz kid fresh from the Academy. There is an article about you in the ship's message board. My name's Janice, I'm the Captain's senior yeoman."

The lift doors opened and they stepped out onto the bridge. Chekov stepped down the two steps to the control area and came to attention in front of the man he had only seen in pictures and news vids. "Ensign Pavel Chekov, reporting as ordered, Sir!"

Jim stood up. On the raised platform, he towered over the young officer. "Mr. Chekov, so nice of you to decide to join us."

"Sir, yes Sir!"

"You're late, Mister."

"Sir, I apologize."

"Is there a reason for your tardiness, Ensign?"

Chekov glanced up to the hazel eyes of his Captain, and thought to himself, 'Tons of reasons, Sir!' However, this was the face of a man that would accept no excuses. "No, Sir!" was all he replied.

Jim stood staring at the man, and could see the small beads of moisture forming just above the brow. But, to his amazement, the officer remained at perfect attention-stance and did not waiver in the least. Jim stepped down from the command platform and circled the man. "At ease, Ensign," he ordered. Pavel took a small step to the side and clasped his hands behind his back.

Jim walked to where he was facing the new officer. "You can relax, Ensign Chekov. We do not stand on ceremony on this ship."

He watched as the muscular shoulders relaxed slightly underneath the uniform shirt. The dark brown eyes came up to meet his. There was character to spare in the youthful looking face. Yes, this man would do nicely. One thing that James Kirk trusted, were his intuitions, and his were telling him that this officer was going to be a hell of an addition to the team. A team that he had carefully hand selected.

Jim decided that he had let him sweat long enough. Besides, Leonard McCoy was standing at the railing about to burst a blood vessel. If he didn't tell the man what was going on, Bones was going to start screaming. He could always tell when his CMO had had all he could stand.

"You are quite resourceful for someone who has not had their security clearance activated."

"Sir? You knew, Sir?"

"It's my ship. Of course I knew. Let me say that I am impressed with your persistence. Welcome aboard, Ensign Chekov."

"Ah...thank you, Captain." That was it? This was the man who was feared more than any other Commander at the Academy? A test of whether or not he could access the bridge without his clearance in place? There had to be more to come. He waited for the other shoe to fall, but it did not.

He turned to the yeoman, Janice, and stated, "On the other hand, I think that we need to discuss procedure regarding letting persuasive young officers sweet talk themselves into secured areas. Isn't that correct, Yeoman Rand?"

"Sorry, Captain. But, in all defense, I had read about his arrival on the bulletin board."

"Sir," Pavel spoke up, "It was my deception that caused Yeoman Rand to bring me to the bridge. I led her to believe I had authorization." He cringed slightly, hoping it was not noticeable. Three minutes on duty, and he was going to feel the legendary "wrath of Kirk." He looked cautiously into the face of the man that was larger than life. However, surprisingly, there was something in the eyes of this Captain that he did not expect, approval.

Jim nodded toward him and thought, 'Yes, character to spare.'

"Very well. There will be nothing more said about it. Ensign, would you care to take your position?"

From somewhere deep within, the young Ensign breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed completely. The youthful face broke into a broad grin that took Jim Kirk by surprise. It was a smile that beamed from the man's soul and, it seemed, illuminated the entire bridge.

"Yes, sir!"

Pavel turned and sat at the navigator's position. He was grateful that the console before him was the same as the Constitution Class trainer he had used this last year.

While Captain Kirk was involved at the communications station, Pavel took a moment to familiarize himself with the panel. The man seated beside him leaned in close and whispered, "I'm Hikaru Sulu. Good work! It took me twenty minutes and a long climb through the Jeffries Tube to get here on my first day! Now they have sealed that passage."

"So I discovered. You mean he does this to everyone?" Pavel whispered back.

"Every new bridge officer. He says it breaks us in to expect only the unexpected."

In his lowest voice, Chekov whispered, "Does he try to trick us often?"

Sulu shook his head, "I assure you, he'll never trick you again. He doesn't play games. He just wants to get a quick view of how we will handle pressure."

"So, he is good to work with?"

Sulu smiled, "That, you will have to judge for yourself."

The helmsman straightened and finished his pre-flight check. Pavel watched his captain as he moved to each station to see that all was in order.

Captain Kirk pressed the COM button on his chair, "Scotty, are we ready to leave spacedock?"

"Aye, Sir. She's fit as a fiddle. Anytime you're ready. And Captain, there was a package looking for you, did it arrive?"

When he heard his commanding officer chuckle, Chekov glanced back. He found Kirk was looking directly at him, and Pavel realized 'he' was the package. "Yes, Scotty. The package has been received and put to work. I'm sure that the newest member of the crew will be well versed on the locations of the turbolifts by tomorrow. Isn't that right, Ensign?"

"Aye, Sir, every one," Chekov answered enthusiastically.

Jim nodded and turned to the Helmsman. "Mr. Sulu, clear all moorings and prepare for departure."

The helmsman touched several commands on his screen, and announced, "Moorings cleared. Ship at station-keeping. Ready at Captain's command." He looked at Chekov and smiled a very welcoming smile. Chekov felt that he and Sulu were destined to become fast friends.

"Very well, Lieutenant. Navigator, take us out."

"Aye, Sir!" Pavel turned to the controls, keyed in the commands and made the proper entries to ease the ship from the confines of the holding structure. The ship began to pull forward and the structure slowly disappeared from sight. When the sensors assured him that they had cleared the encasement, he breathed a sigh of relief. "Destination, Captain?"

"Direct heading to the Deltan system. There are supplies onboard for the Andore 5 settlement."

"Aye, Sir." He keyed the necessary coordinates for the most direct route, and plotted two alternatives should his Captain ask him to adjust their path.

"Coordinates set, Captain. Warp speed at your command." He took a deep, cleansing breath. He had received, and carried out, his first orders as Navigator on the massive starship.

"Warp speed, now," Kirk directed to the helmsman. The first sight of the stars, as they blurred into brilliant streaks on the viewscreen, brought a lump to the new officer's throat. Years of studying at the Academy, and summers spent interning on a variety of vessels, paid off in an instant. Neither the simulators, nor the ships that he had served aboard during those summer breaks, had this kind of an effect on him. In all of his twenty-two years, he had never felt as fulfilled as he did at this very moment. Pavel was mesmerized by the sight of the starfield on the screen when he realized the captain was standing at his side. He looked up into the brightest eyes that he had ever imagined.

Looking down at this fresh-faced ensign, Jim smiled. He bent low so the others on the bridge would not overhear him, "Remember this moment, Chekov. It's what makes everything you've gone through to get to this point, worth the struggle."

Chekov was consumed by the smile, that smile, the one that could melt a bulkhead. The one that outshone the stars that slipped past them. From that moment on, there was no question about whether he would, or would not, be forever devoted to James Kirk. His life belonged to this man and it was his to do with whatever he wished. There was no request too small, or sacrifice too great, for the man with the gold flecked eyes.

It was that one smile that rearranged those delicate building blocks that had dictated Pavel's goals since his childhood. He had decided very early that he would enroll in Starfleet at his first opportunity and build toward a position as leader, as captain, of a starship. Now, fifty-two minutes since arriving on the bridge, he could consider nothing but serving James Kirk. Chekov chuckled to himself, 'James the Mighty...Indeed!'

***

As the days rolled by, Chekov became more comfortable with his post and with the fellow crewmembers. Sulu was becoming a close friend, as were all of the senior officers. Dr. McCoy had seemed quite gruff in the beginning. But after several encounters, Chekov decided he was actually quite warm and only tended to get ill-tempered when Mr. Spock was around.

As for Mr. Spock, he was very hard to read. There were times that he seemed more personable than Chekov had ever imagined a Vulcan being, then on other occasions, he was very indifferent. It was as if the man had a split personality. The more Pavel tried to figure him out, the more confused he became.

The situation in his third week of service did nothing to clarify his grasp of the Vulcan's demeanor. There were a few days in which the ship was bounced between Altair VI and Vulcan, finally diverting to Vulcan. Mr. Spock had not been at his post in several days, and there were rumors to the effect that he had blown his temper on C-deck. The next day, they were in orbit around the red planet and a transmission came through from Mr. Spock's wife. It seemed that, until that moment, no one on the ship was aware that he was married. Pavel still had no idea about what all went on during those days, but when the landing party, which included Mr. Spock, the Captain and Dr. McCoy, returned to the ship, there was no discussion about his spouse. Pavel only assumed, mostly fed by some pretty unbelievable scuttlebutt, that some type of dissolution of the marriage took place. If so, it was understandable. It was well known that service in the Fleet, especially on long-term voyages, was not conducive to lasting relationships.

Pavel's dedication to the job was matched only by his incessant allegiance to his homeland. It was during his first week at his position that the crew began to learn the attributes of a certain 'Little old lady from Leningrad.' It became expected that any technological advancement would be accredited to a Russian inventor, usually this same 'lady,' who possessed a remarkable grasp of the most intricate engineering concepts.

Jim had liked the man from the beginning. He had chosen well when he selected Pavel Chekov for his navigator. The young man was diligent, profusely loyal, and Jim found his humor refreshing. Life onboard a starship could become much too serious. Maybe it was simply because of the ensign's youthful exuberance--or something beyond that--but Pavel had a way of interjecting a degree of lightness into the crew. Jim had forgotten how necessary a sense of humor and adventure was to surviving the endless weeks of tension that accompanied a mission such as this.

By the end of his first month, Pavel became accepted as an integral part of the bridge community. His capabilities and technical knowledge amazed some who saw him only as an impish-faced youngster at the beginning. He had performed well during the string of unusual encounters that faced the crew of the Enterprise. They had stumbled across the Greek God, Apollo, a self-contained computer/probe calling itself Nomad, and a monstrous foursome from an alternate dimension that emulated Lt. Uhura, Dr. McCoy, Chief Engineer Scott and the Captain. And most recently they had encountered the people of Vaal on Gamma Trianguli VI.

But, there were also times, long periods of time, that became mundane. Charting unexplored areas lead to long hours of sitting, bent over monitors, watching for indications of inhabitation on dead planet after dead planet. It was back-breaking, ass-numbing work.

One evening, after a particularly monotonous day of mapping, the need for physical activity was utmost in the minds of the bridge crew. Muscles that had become weary from days of little activity screamed for exercise. Sulu suggested that he and Pavel go the gym after dinner for some fencing. Pavel had already discovered that Hik, the shortened name that Pavel used for Sulu since the helmsman had started calling him Pav, fancied himself a swashbuckler of old, and decided it would be a good workout. Upon their arrival, Sulu was disappointed to find that the fencing area was being used, and was reserved for the remainder of the evening. He keyed in their names, just in case the room opened up, and looked to see what else was available. The sparring room was available for the next hour, so they settled for a round of wrestling.

Whereas with a sword, Sulu was lighter on his feet, Pavel had the advantage on the mat. His muscular, compact body was no match for the helmsman, and he pinned him several times.

Lying on the mat, with Chekov's body spread across him, the signal indicating a pin sounded again. Sulu panted, "Dammit, Pav! You don't even give a guy a chance! I give!"

"Too bad, I was just getting warmed up!" Pavel mused.

Little did they know that Kirk was standing at the entrance, watching their activity. 'Pav,' he smiled to himself as he heard Sulu call him this. Yes, the name reminded him of Pan, the mythological merry man. However, Pan was associated with fertility and amorous behavior, and Pavel was, well, on second thought, he certainly wasn't bad to look at, was he? Yes, 'Pav' fit him.

Deciding it was time to make an entrance, Jim entered the sparring room. "Well, Mr. Chekov!" he exclaimed as he walked toward them. "If you are just getting warmed up, how about giving me a try? It seems that Mr. Spock has stood me up and I am here without a sparring partner. Wha'do you say?"

Pavel jumped up, freeing his victim with a start. He turned to face Kirk and what he saw shocked him. The Captain was standing there in tight workout britches, shirtless. Even though Pavel was a thoroughly devout heterosexual male who loved girls, at every opportunity, and had never entertained the desire for a male companion, the sight was not lost on him. The Captain was flushed, he had evidently already spent quite a while on the machines, and the smooth, golden skin was damp and had a pink hue. It was a pretty picture, indeed.

His mouth dry, he was finally able to blurt out, "Certainly, Captain. I...I would be honored."

Jim walked to the bench, set down his bag and towel and took his position on the mat. Sulu made some comment to the effect that he was glad to be given a reprieve, and left the two men alone in the area. Jim watched Pavel as he got into the stance across from him. The signal to begin sounded and they locked their bodies together. Jim, surprised by the strength of the man, was the first to go to one knee, but he had Pavel down on his knees in almost no time. They struggled and rolled as each fought to conquer the other. They would briefly separate and then lunge again. The timer signal sounded, but neither wished to give up on the attempt. As they rolled together, one almost pinning the other, just to have the attempt foiled, their breaths grew hard and sweat poured from their bodies. The smell of the salty moisture surrounded them, was in their eyes and on their lips. Mingling together into a distinctive aroma of maleness.

Pavel moved across Jim, but Jim was ready for the maneuver. He caught Pavel across the shoulders with one arm and between his thighs with the other. He threw the man to the mat, holding him tight against the padded surface. His forearm was pressed tight to the hardness of Pavel's groin. He knew this was just the athletic cup he was feeling, but the sensation of having his arm against the hard surface sent an unexpected shiver through him.

Jim looked at the kid on the mat. God he was beautiful! Jim felt a surge beneath his own gear and was certainly glad for the anonymity from his emotions that the cup provided. Otherwise, he could have been quite embarrassed at his sudden reaction. Especially since he was straddling a muscular leg, his groin pressed against Pavel's thigh. He stared into the deep brown eyes and watched the full mouth as the man beneath him struggled. He found himself pressing his groin slightly harder into the well-developed quadriceps, feeling his erection press tightly into the confines of the hard cup. His breath quickened, whether from the arousal or the workout, was indiscernible.

Suddenly realizing what he was doing, he slackened his grip. He was shocked by the sudden intensity of the urge. This was insanity. The thought of seducing the young ensign was madness. The signal sounded indicating a scoring pin. He rolled off Chekov quickly and jumped to his feet. Resting his hands on his knees, he breathed heavily. Both were breathing deeply, pulling needed oxygen into their lungs.

"Ensign, you have remarkable strength. You gave me quite a workout," Jim panted. 'Quite a hard-on, too,' he thought to himself, but was not going to mention that aspect.

He looked toward the young man and the sight before him almost brought him to his knees. The skin was wet with perspiration and flushed to a deep pink hue. When Pavel moved, the muscles rippled underneath the skin like silk over steel. The broad chest led to a much narrower waist around which the tight, thin, britches clung as if they were another layer of skin. Each muscle in the thighs and calves were well defined, as was the significant bulge between the thighs. Of course, that was the one area that could not be adequately judged, it was protected, but the whole picture was what dreams were made of.

Then the self-recrimination began. To have such feelings toward this boy was insidious. The fact that Jim knew this was so wrong, and even that knowledge did nothing to stem the desire, made him furious at himself. The decision was very clear. He would have to keep a distance between himself and this man. The temptation to act on these sudden, strong urges could never be realized. The Captain of a starship could not seduce his junior staff. That very type of situation had ruined many careers.

"Thank you, Captain." Chekov gasped several long breaths before he was able to continue. "Maybe we can spar again, sometime?"

Without looking again at the young man, Jim turned and grabbed his bag and towel. "We'll see," he grunted and turned away.

Pavel was shocked at the sudden turn in the Captain's demeanor. Suddenly, the disapproval in the Captain's voice was crystal clear. Pavel understood what had happened. The Captain turned away from him after staring at him in disbelief. His condition had not gone unnoticed. Somewhere during their match, he had become very aroused, and he knew that Kirk had realized this. He understood that this could happen during times of extreme physical exertion, but it was the first time it had ever happened to him. And now, he had seen disgust, no it was even more --abhorrence-- appear on the face of the one person who he never wanted to offend.

Looking down at the mat he choked out, "Aye, sir, I understand." He did not know how to explain or apologize for such a distasteful reaction. He just needed to get out of there, fast. He bent down to get his own bag and towel, and then turned to bid Kirk a good evening. He was alone in the room. The Captain had already left. 'Probably too disgusted to even look at me any longer,' Pavel thought bitterly to himself. Embarrassed by his behavior, he felt the blood flooding his face.

When Jim entered his cabin, he ordered the security lock on. He stripped down and removed the painful protective cup. Normally it did not bother him, but tonight his cock was engorged and uncomfortably rigid inside of the unyielding hard gear. He went to the shower and turned on the sonic setting. He leaned against the wall as the shower cleaned him. He could still smell the essence of the man on his skin. Remembering the feel of the young man underneath him, his hand went to his swollen member and he stroked his dick, knowing how easily it would be to fall into the fantasy. But he quickly pulled his hand away. He could not allow his thoughts to veer into this direction, but he needed release. He knew he could go to his usual situation for relief; he was always welcome there. He left the shower, dressed and left his cabin to find that which his body craved.

Chekov went to his cabin and took a long shower. His erection had abated immediately in the gym, and, although he was sure it was nothing more than a reaction to the extreme physical exertion, the humiliation he felt was real. He balled his fists together and hit the wall of the shower sharply. Holding his fists in place against the cool tile, he pressed his forehead to them. He vowed to never have it happen again. He had become lazy and complacent since arriving onboard and he promised himself that he would work hard each evening until he was back in shape. But, he could still taste the saltiness of the Captain's skin as he had been pressed against him. And the sight of Kirk, shirtless and in the tight britches made his mind wander, briefly, to thoughts that he had never had before. The sight of Kirk had really stunned him. For just a moment, he considered that it was not the physical workout that caused this reaction, but dismissed the thought quickly. However, Pavel was unaware that he was about to be introduced to a whole new set of emotions.

***

The first of the dreams occurred the night of the sparring match. He was dead tired when he fell into his bunk and sleep came quickly. The dream began boldly.

He felt the licking and suckling of his penis and looked down to see the golden hair of his Captain between his thighs. He was naked, lying on his bunk and James Kirk was giving him the best blowjob that he had ever received. He felt every stroke of the tongue as it lathed his balls and traced the pattern up his shaft and around the flared ridge. His hands went to the soft golden hair and he carded his fingers through it as the mouth claimed the full length of his cock. He pulled his knees up and spread his thighs and pumped into the heat of the wonderful orifice. He gripped the head tighter and thrust deeply inside the heat as the powerful orgasm overtook him. He could hear himself moaning as he came.

It was his own moans that brought him to reality. He became aware of lying in the darkness, his knees bent and spread wide, and his hands gripping the inside of his thighs. His warm fluid was splattered on his abdomen and was pooling beneath him as it trickled down his scrotum. Confused and dazed, he sat up quickly and called for the lights to activate at half-normal. He looked down and saw his erection and the fluid that coated his groin. He touched the sticky fluid in disbelief. He had not had a wet dream since his youth, and had certainly never had one involving another male. Not that he had anything against same sex relationships, but he had never desired to experience one himself.

He rose from the bed and went to the shower. He convinced himself that the dream was a logical, one-time occurrence, stemming from the reaction he had experienced in the gym and the changes that had recently taken place in his life. In these weeks aboard the Enterprise, he had come to admire his Captain and all that he stood for. And, it had been months since he had had any form of sexual encounter. It had even been weeks since he had given himself any form of sexual relief. He had been concentrating so hard on his performance, that after duty hours he would study and read until late into the evening. He had been ignoring his body's needs.

Still shaken, but satisfied that he had discovered the reason behind this disturbing event, he dried himself, went back to the sleeping alcove. Pavel blotted the remnants of his dream from the sheet with his towel, replaced the discarded blanket and slid back under the covers. As he started to slowly drift off to sleep, his last conscious thought was of the Captain standing over his bed--smiling down at him.

On the way to the bridge the following morning, Pavel's pace was slower than normal. He felt himself wanting to avoid the unpleasantness of having to face the man that had come to mean so much to him. The full extent of the embarrassment that he had felt the evening before came rushing back. His first thought was that he would try to ease into his position as unnoticed as possible. But he stopped himself. He had not graduated first in his class by shrinking from disagreeable, uncomfortable, situations. He pulled himself up to his full stance and, as he stepped from the lift and onto the bridge, he acknowledged the Captain. He took his position and performed his job to the best that his capabilities allowed. Captain Kirk only addressed him when duty required it. There was a no-nonsense atmosphere that was felt throughout the crew that day, and Pavel felt everyone's sigh of relief when the shift ended.

True to his promise, Pavel spent three hard hours in the gym that evening, pumping, straining and pushing his body to its very limits. He was exhausted as he laid down that evening, and fell into a deep sleep. The images that played through his mind that night were even more disturbing. What he had thought would be a one-time occurrence, had now spilled over into two nights of erotic dreams with the captain as the main attraction.

The next day's duty went much better. Captain Kirk seemed to be back to his normal self. When Pavel arrived at his station, Kirk had looked toward him and said, "Well, Mr. Chekov, are we ready for an interesting day?"

Surprised, but very pleased, Chekov replied, "Yes, Sir! Another exciting day mapping, Sir." He knew he had broken into a smile. He just couldn't help it around this man.

Jim grinned at him, "A necessary evil, Mr. Chekov. A necessary evil." Jim looked toward the science station and to Mr. Spock. "OK to go, Mr. Spock?"

"Ready when you are, Captain." If Pavel hadn't known better, he would have said that Spock almost smiled at the Captain. Evidently, everyone was pleased to see him in a much better frame of mind.

The remainder of the week became a series of duty assignments, workouts in the gym and homoerotic dreams that were becoming more vivid and enhanced with each installment. Shocked at first, he thought of these dreams as haunting his nights, but by the end of the week, he was beginning to anticipate the onset of erotic images that splayed themselves across his mind. They were most enlightening. The initial reaction of disgust had abated and was being replaced by other feelings.

One night he decided to handle the situation himself, therefore controlling where his subconscious veered to in his sleep. After his shower, he climbed into bed and began remembering the redheaded nymph who had entertained him so many afternoons during his last year at the Academy. Her hair was long and waved in a manner just teetering on wild. The softness of it would caress his ribs as she worked her mouth down his body. Her tongue trailed a path from his nipples to his abdomen as her fingers found his erection and began to lightly stroke it with her fingernails.

Pavel felt the first stirrings as his cock began to harden. He pulled the towel from around his waist and ran his fingers across the head and down the shaft remembering how she could seduce him.

She would lick her way across his abdomen until she reached the base of his swollen organ. Grasping his penis in one hand, she would make circles around the head, and tongue the slit until his fluid was seeping freely from the tiny opening. With her other hand, she moved to his scrotum and stimulated it with the soft scraping of her nails across the tender area. As her mouth captured the head of his penis, she would increase her massage of the sack, separating the orbs and gently kneading each.

Pavel grasped his cock between his fingers and thumb, and began to apply pressure as he slid his hand up and down the shaft.

He would move his hands to the thick, long hair and comb his fingers through it-- encouraging the warm mouth to consume him. He remembered the touch of that soft, honey-colored hair and the feeling of his hands running through the short, straight strands. He imagined the strong hands cupping his ass, hearing the low, guttural moans of the golden man as he took Pavel's erection fully into his mouth.

Pavel realized that his fantasy was no longer the female that he had been involved with in San Francisco, but instead had taken the form of James Kirk. He was too far-gone to stop. He imagined the shorter fingers stroking his balls and the feel of the hot mouth capturing him. Pavel lost control with this image and came in long, shuddering waves. "Jim," he whispered into the dark void of his cabin.

As he cleaned the fluid from his abdomen with the damp towel, he realized the very dream he had hoped to avoid had now invaded his waking hours, as well. In the dimness of the cabin, he smiled to himself. He decided that if this fantasy would satisfy him, then he would no longer fight it. He could have this for himself and no one would ever know. He certainly was not going to act on these feelings. To attempt to seduce his Captain was out of the question. The repulsion of such an act had been made clear by Jim's reaction in the gym. But, here, in this cabin, he could possess this desire. And, so it was. The dreams did not disappear altogether, but diminished as the fantasies became more explicit.

In the following month, he began to work closer with Mr. Spock at the science station. He was being trained to cover this position when needed. He found working with the Vulcan a wonderful learning experience. The ultra-logical mind was in constantly motion and Pavel found he had to stay on his toes to compete with the First Officer. He did notice that Mr. Spock was the only one of the bridge crew that did not appreciate his attempts to attribute all innovations and inventions to the Russians. He would often correct Pavel regarding the correct source of such claims. But, Pavel accepted this good-naturedly, and sincerely admired the level of expertise that the Vulcan seemed to hold regarding most subjects.

He, also, came to enjoy the fact that the Captain, when not in the center seat, seemed to prefer the science station to all other positions. However, even with all else being the same, there was no denying that the warmness that he had felt from the Captain since the first day he arrived was no longer present. There was nothing specific, just a change in the way Kirk addressed him. On the occasions that the Captain would be standing near to him, Pavel made sure that none of his actions were inappropriate. He made sure that his technique was perfection and his professionalism was incomparable. But nothing seemed to bring that smile back in his direction. His performance evaluations were exceeding standard, but he began to believe that the disapproval had to be more than the incident in the gym almost two months before. But he was at a loss as to what had caused Kirk to become so distant. And, the fantasies of the evening made the rejections in the day that much more pronounced. Pavel had started considering his options. He knew that when he had served for six months, he would be able to request a transfer. He was five weeks away from that time and he had a lot of things to consider in these upcoming weeks.

Almost daily, Dr. McCoy would make an appearance on the bridge, and more often than not, he and Mr. Spock would exchange some barbs regarding the subject de jour. The repartee usually ended when the doctor would throw his hands up in disgust and board the lift, many times mumbling some rather uncomplimentary comments under his breath. And the Vulcan, looking toward Captain Kirk, would have an eyebrow creeping toward his hairline. Whatever else was happening on the bridge, these moments usually ended with the crew snickering.

In these months onboard, Chekov could not figure out why, two men that seemed so opposed to the other, would prefer to spend their off time together. They seemed to always be involved in some type of confrontation, but off duty, Kirk, Spock and McCoy were usually together. They were all extremely intelligent and Chekov assumed that it was the need for mental challenge that promoted their relationship. He had asked Hik this question over dinner one evening. Sulu had just shrugged and said that the community of a Starship had a tendency to lead to some curious friendships. It was not until late into the fifth month of his assignment, that he discovered just how intense the relationship between the McCoy and Spock could get.

***

A short caused the control panel to spark and Pavel received a slight burn on his wrist. He had tried to convince Captain Kirk that it was not serious and it could wait until the end of shift to be attended to. In reality, Pavel avoided any reason to leave the bridge when Kirk was in command. He felt to leave the bridge over something minor would make him look weak in the Captain's eyes, and, probably the truest of reasons, was that because he had formed such a affection for his Captain that he wanted to spend all the time he was allotted, with him. At Kirk's insistence, he had gone to the sickbay to seek attention. He found no one in the outer offices and did not wish to wait any longer to get back to his position than was absolutely necessary.

He noticed a, nearly concealed, door that was located along the far wall of sickbay next to some medical equipment. Slipping through the doorway, he found it led out of the main sickbay area and down a corridor of, seemingly, deserted rooms. He ventured down the corridor past what he assumed were surgical suites and labs. The quietness of the corridor was eerie. The only sounds came from the mechanical drone of forbidden equipment housed inside the deserted rooms and the soft hum of the engines from deep inside the heart of the ship. He moved quicker down the corridor in hopes of finding someone that could treat his arm. With each step, he felt as if he were an interloper. This corridor was certainly not meant for any except the medical crew.

Passing another closed, dark, room, he noticed, through the transparent window, a slip of light from the back of the area. He cracked the door open carefully and was grateful to hear the muffled voices that he recognized as Dr. McCoy and Mr. Spock. He started to call out to them, but it seemed that they were into another of their famous altercations. These never seemed to last longer than just a few stinging remarks, so he decided to wait it out before interrupting. Pavel's curiosity caused him to ease closer so he could see the men standing in the adjoining room. They were facing each other and McCoy looked very angry. His face was red and he was waiving his hands as he was talking.

"Spock, I am telling you, you are wrong! If we interfere with the eco-structure, it will have disastrous results! What damage has been done, will repair itself in time!"

"Doctor, the eco-structure is already severely damaged due to interference of the Sundi. The havoc they have wreaked upon the surface of the planet is irreparable without our assistance. I do agree with the Captain."

"Well, what a fucking shock that is! You always agree with him! Jim Kirk could say the galaxy was flat, and you would be the first to jump to his defense!"

"That would be most illogical. Were the galaxy flat, we would not have the capability of navigating it in the manner in which we do."

"Goddammit! You know you piss me off when you do that!"

"And what is 'that', Doctor?"

"Break up a perfectly good argument with one of those ultra-logical statements. You know what that does to me!"

"If it allows me to do this," Spock took a step toward McCoy and wrapped his arms around him, "then it has served its purpose." Their lips joined and McCoy's arms went around the taller man's neck and his fingers sifted through the shiny black hair.

Chekov stood riveted to the spot in the blackness of the outer room. He could not have moved if a 'red alert' was signaled.

"So, what are you going to do about it?" McCoy teased as he seductively pressed his groin into Spock's.

"I could make you wait until we are alone this evening."

"We're alone, and off duty, now. And, I have no intentions of waiting for anything." McCoy's arms released the neck and moved between them. From Pavel's viewpoint, it was obvious that the doctor was unclasping the Vulcan's trousers.

"Do you not think it best to wait until we are in one of our cabins?"

"Spock, trust me. No one ever comes in here. This room is so hidden, even Jim doesn't know it exists. We are safer here than in our cabins."

Chekov's first reaction was one of aggregate shock. He felt his skin grow cold and clammy at the sight that was taking place in front of him. Yet, he could not pull his eyes from the scene being played out before him.

McCoy unfastened the trousers and pushed them down as he went to his knees before Spock. The Vulcan's erection spilled from beneath the material, and his hands captured the dark hair now positioned at his groin. McCoy took long strokes up the organ with his tongue, and Spock spread his legs as far as the confining material wrapped around his knees allowed. He arched his back and groaned in pleasure as he thrust toward the accommodating mouth.

The Doctor lathed the heavy scrotum repeatedly with his tongue and lips before pulling the organ into his mouth. Spock watched as the mouth worked slowly up and down his penis. He caressed the dark head lovingly and through deep, ragged breathes, he rasped, "Leonard, I give into thee much too easily. Oh, but to attempt to resist you would be futile."

The chilled clamminess that Pavel had felt was turning into molten lava that began in his stomach and reached mercilessly for his groin.

McCoy released the engorged organ and stood before his lover. "I believe, sir, that I give into you quite often, as well." He captured the mouth with his own and Spock made quick work of the CMO's restrictive clothing. He kicked off his own boots and the remnants of his clothes and they stood naked against each other, arms and mouths consuming, and slick erections seeking release by grinding together.

"You know what I want," McCoy rasped.

"We do not have the oil to make that possible," Spock breathed.

"There is some surgical lubricant behind you."

Spock turned to look at the shelf of supplies. He reached for a basket of shiny packets and took one. Tearing it open, he spread the sticky substance on his fingers and pulled the doctor close once more. The long thin fingers worked the gel into the doctor's body as he prepared his lover for what was to come. Pavel watched as the fingers, first one then two, then three, disappeared repeatedly inside of McCoy. The doctor groaned and writhed each time the fingers were pulled out and plunged back inside of him.

"Now, Spock," McCoy gasped. "Fuck me before I cum all over you!"

Spock pulled his fingers free and turned the man in his arms. McCoy grabbed the edge of the exam table and leaned toward it. Spock smeared the remainder of the lubricant on and around the head of his cock, and tossed the empty packet aside. Spock's hands slid down the arched back and over the round mounds, caressing, separating, and teasing the orifice. McCoy groaned from deep in his throat, "Oh, God, Spock, fuck me! Please, I need to feel you inside of me!" Spock grasped the mounds and centered his cock, and pressed in slowly until the head was no longer visible.

Chekov watched as the large, light olive, erection slowly disappeared between them. Standing hidden in the darkness, Pavel's hand moved to the large mass that had formed between his thighs. Through the thin material of the regulation trousers, he began to stroke himself with the same rhythm being administered within the doctor.

Gripping Leonard with one arm, Spock moved the other to his partner's erection and began stroking it. He nuzzled and tongued the back of the doctor's neck as he pumped into his body. He whispered something undetectable into the rounded ear and McCoy pushed back forcefully against the invading member. Spock threw his head back and groaned as his body began to spasm with release. Creamy fluid spewed into the long, delicate fingers as they both jerked with the intensity of the shared orgasm.

Chekov realized his knees had grown weak and there was sticky residue filling the crotch of his pants. He had cum right along with the two men standing a few feet away. He looked around him and knew he had to leave this room quickly before he was detected.

The lovers were gathering clothes and talking in low, deep tones as he slipped out of the door and into the corridor. He dashed down the hall and back into the sickbay area. Seeing a stack of wipes, he grabbed several and stuffed them down the front of his trousers to absorb the spent fluid.

As quickly as he could, without drawing attention to himself, he made his way to his quarters. As soon as the door slid shut behind him, he began to strip off his clothes and was in the shower in moments. He turned the setting to water, a precious commodity aboard a starship, and washed the stickiness from his abdomen and groin. The sight he had just witnessed kept playing itself out in his mind. Never would he have guessed the relationship between these two men. Their affiliation seemed to be adversarial, not the loving tenderness combined with the eroticism that he had just witnessed.

Leaning against the back of the stall as the precious water washed over him, he knew he wanted to be a participant in just such a scene. However, he wanted that with the one man onboard that was untouchable, his Captain. The fantasy of having that man do to him, what Spock had done to McCoy, caused a renewal of his erection. He grabbed his cock with soapy hands and drove his hands up and down the shaft with hard, quick thrusts. In just moments, his ejaculate was spurting into the flow of the water.

Exhausted and spent, he rinsed quickly, dressed in fresh trousers and T-shirt and went to his sleeping alcove where he fell backwards onto his bunk. He laid his arm across his eyes and tried to block the pictures that kept flashing through his mind. The door signal sounded.

He sat up. "Enter," he signaled the voice control. The door slid open and through the mesh he saw Dr. Leonard McCoy standing at the entrance. His breath caught. Did the doctor know he had been standing in the darkness?

"Doctor!" was all he could say.

The CMO walked in and saw Chekov sitting on his bed. "Ensign, the Captain left a message for me and said he had sent you down because of a burn."

What had he gone to sickbay for? He couldn't remember. Oh yes, the burn on his arm. The injury was long forgotten. "Ye--Yes, sir. There was--no one in the sickbay--so--I came back here." Surely the doctor could hear the guilt in his voice. He was blubbering like the town idiot.

"Sorry, I was in one of the storage rooms sorting out the equipment. Ya gotta keep on top of these things, ya know!" Dr. McCoy grinned broadly at him. "Now, let me see that burn."

Chekov had to pause a moment to remember which arm had taken the injury. He held out the underside of his right arm to the doctor. There was an angry looking red area, but he could not feel the discomfort. He couldn't feel anything at all. 'Keeping on top of things, indeed!' he thought to himself. He looked into the face of the man standing at his bed, and knew that just a few minutes before, he had had Spock inside of him. His cock jumped at the memory. He crossed his legs, trying to hide the erection that was blooming within his trousers.

"Ah, that doesn't look so bad. Here, let me put a dura-plast cover on it and you should be right-as-rain by tomorrow." McCoy smiled and reached into his bag, pulling out a small canister. He held it right above the wound and coated the area with a layer of the new skin. The brief stinging sensation brought him back to the reality of the moment.

"Tha--thank you, Dr. McCoy," he stumbled the gratitude as the burning subsided.

"Anytime, Ensign, anytime."

Dr. McCoy exited the cabin and Pavel breathed a sigh of relief. He had been certain that the doctor was going to say something about him being in the outer room, but evidently they had not detected his presence. Chekov swore to himself he'd never breathe a word to anyone about his observations, but he certainly viewed the stoic First Officer in a new light. Did anyone onboard this ship, besides Leonard McCoy, of course, have any idea what a sensuous nature was hiding behind the unemotional facade? And the fantasies that he was now having about James Kirk, were taking on a whole different direction after witnessing the act in the small exam room.

"So, how is Chekov's arm?" Jim asked over dinner that evening.

"Oh, he'll be just fine. Mostly first-degree, maybe a small spot that is second-degree, but not a bad burn. He had already showered, and the water was good for it. It kept it from drying out the skin."

"A shower? I sent him straight to sickbay from the bridge. When the hell did he take a shower before coming to you?"

"Oh, I didn't see him in the sickbay. I got your message and I went to his quarters. I was, well, not available when he came down, so he went to his cabin. That's where I treated his injury." He flashed his eyes slightly toward their other, very quiet, companion at the table. The involuntary movement was not lost on Jim.

"Jeeze, you were together?!? Where?!?" They were the only three in the private dining room, but Jim kept his voice low.

"Now Jim, don't get upset. We were in one of the back exam rooms. Perfectly safe. Don't get your feathers ruffled."

"In the middle of the shift? Dammit! You all are playing it pretty open, don't you think?"

Spock spoke up, "Jim, we were both off of the duty log, and it is quite secluded. I did not perceive any greater danger of discovery than in any other room on the ship, our cabins included."

"Are you sure Chekov didn't see you? He's pretty resourceful."

"Jim," Leonard interjected, "There's not a handful of people who even know those rooms exist. Hell, even Chapel doesn't go down that corridor, she says it gives her the creeps." A crease did form on the doctor's brow after he had stated this.

"What is it, Bones?"

"Well, Jim, I would say there's no chance that he came down that hall, but when I went to his cabin and started working on his arm, the kid got such a erection, that I couldn't help but notice."

"Oh yeah? Wish I'd have been there."

"You still have it bad for him, don't you?"

"Does it show? Don't worry, Bones, I have no intention of ever acting on this. I treat him with nothing but the utmost courtesy."

"That much is certain," Spock spoke up. "Jim, you are still not treating him in the same manner that you treat the rest of the bridge crew. You are distancing yourself from him, and it is obvious, at least to him."

"Spock, you were right that I can't push him away like I did that first day, but I have to keep some distance between us. I have never had anyone that affects me like he does, and I have to be able to run this ship. I am dealing with it in the best way that I can."

He turned to McCoy, "And Bones, I wouldn't worry about his physical reaction. That seems to be an affliction that is going around. I've been finding myself in that same condition quite often lately. I'm sure you're right about him not seeing you. You two just need to be careful about when and where, okay?"

"Well, Captain, sir," Bones smiled and his most southern accent became very noticeable, "if you are having such physical problems yourself, it could begin to affect your command fitness. I would recommend, as your physician, mind you, that you do something to alleviate the condition."

"Umm, that would be your recommendation, huh? How about you, Spock, what would be your advice on the subject?"

"I am forced to agree with our esteemed physician. It would seem only logical to do away with the dining utensils and retire to my cabin in a most expeditious manner."

"Why, Mr. Spock, I like the way you think" They gathered the trays, placed them in the recycler and all three proceeded to Spock's cabin.

***

Thirty-two hours later, the ship was in orbit around Andrias, a small planet in the northern quadrant of the Omega system. This planet had been invaded by the Sundi three years before, and in their haste to scavenge the mineral deposits from the ground, had stripped massive sections of the planet bare. The planet had not had a truly native population in many thousands of years, but before the Sundi had ravaged the terrain it had been used for temporary settlements from various cultures as they traveled across the universe. It had most recently served as a multi-cultural base for scientific studies.

Captain Kirk ordered a geological team to the surface to investigate possibilities of restoring the planet to its original condition. The team contacted the ship after finding evidence of one of the deserted Sundi encampment sights. Kirk wanted to investigate this sight personally, and turned the con over to Spock. He looked toward Pavel, "Mr. Chekov, would you care to accompany the landing party to the surface?"

"Yes, sir!" Chekov answered enthusiastically. He pressed the signal on the console to request a replacement for his position and followed Kirk to the transport room. They were issued communicators and Pavel was handed a tricorder. They took their place on the pad along with two security team members and the ship's anthropologist, Lieutenant Rodriguez.

As they materialized on the planet, the hot, arid air blasted against them. They were standing on a flattened plateau that had been stripped of all vegetation and any recognizable landmarks. Remnants of containers for varied purposes littered the area, most battered to near unrecognizable state by the constant, unrelenting winds. There were several pits dug into the hard surface that were, as indicated by the scattering of skeletal remains in each, obviously used for the cooking of indigenous animals for consumption.

The next hours were spent gathering any information that could be used to gain information about the Sundi culture. As Pavel was excavating the remnants from another pit, Kirk's was kneeling at the rim, retrieving the artifacts the ensign was passing to him. As Jim reached for another container, his communicator signaled.

"Kirk, here." There was uncharacteristic static with the signal.

"Captain, there is a class-3 ion storm that is quickly approaching. We will need to recover the landing parties immediately."

"How long, Mr. Spock?"

"Immediately, Captain. It is already affecting the navigations and communications systems. We must recover the team before the ability to operate the transporter is compromised. The ship will need to leave the region to avoid further system shut down."

"Spock, recover the geological and security teams. Dr. Rodriguez, Ensign Chekov and myself are at this location. Beam us up after all others are onboard."

"Understood, Captain," Spock responded, and the communicator was snapped shut.

Jim looked into the pit and called to Pavel, "Ensign, climb out of there, we're beaming up." He looked toward Marlana Rodriguez, who had been cataloguing the samples as they were retrieved from the pits, and advised her that they would need to return to the ship. But his attention was drawn back to the hole as he heard his navigator's response.

"A shame, sir!" Chekov answered in a, too melodramatic tone of regret. Kirk couldn't help but smile as he gave the man a hand out of the hole and noticed how dirty and sweaty he was. As hot as the surface was, he knew being in the charred pit, with no air stirring, must have been extremely uncomfortable. There were certainly times that rank did have its privileges.

"Mr. Chekov, am I to understand that you will not regret getting back on the ship?"

Pavel glanced around the dreadful area and glanced back toward the hole. He turned back to his Captain and stated, "Well, sir, this is not exactly the Garden of Eden!"

"It was, Ensign, it was. I would like to see the restoration of this planet. From all accounts, there was a beauty here that was unmatched."

"Aye, like Russia! That was where the Garden of Eden was located."

Jim looked toward Pavel with intent to address this incessant capability to attribute all things ever created, by either God or man, to the Russians. But when he saw the dark eyes, sparkling with amusement beneath the mop of dirty hair and the charcoal smudged face, all he could do was shake his head and swallow the lump that came to his throat. His communicator signaled him once more.

"Kirk,"

"Captain." This time it was Scotty's voice that boomed from the small box, "The transporter is being bombarded. We will need to bring you in one at a time."

"Beam Lt. Rodriguez and Ensign Chekov onboard first, Scotty."

"Aye, sir."

The humming began to dissolve Rodriguez into a pattern of molecules. She began to rematerialize on the planet before the beam took her once more. The Enterprise was obviously having serious interruption problems with the transporter. He clicked open his communicator to a blast of static. "Scotty! Enterprise! This is the Captain! What's going on up there? Scotty! Is Rodriguez safe? Scotty!"

Difficult to understand, but heard, was Spock's voice. "Captain, Lieutenant Rodriguez is safe but the storm has disrupted the signal. We will not be able to beam you or Ensign Chekov aboard at this time. We must leave orbit before we have complete system shutdown. The ship is being inundated by the storm. There should be no danger on the surface."

"Understood, Spock. Get the ship out of danger. Ensign Chekov and I will wait it out here. How long before you will be able to return?"

Through the static they heard, "Four point," unclear transmission, "days." Then the signal was gone, but the message was clear. It would be at least four days before the Enterprise could safely return for them.

Pavel watched Kirk snap the communicator shut and look toward the sky. Kirk wiped his thumb across his forehead, a gesture that Pavel had come to know as one that indicated frustration.

Kirk slid his communicator into the clip on his belt and looked toward the man standing on the desolate plain with him. "Well, Mr. Chekov, it seems that we will need to prepare for a few days stay. The first order of business is to find food and water." Jim stated in a voice that was all business, tempered only with irritation. He glanced around at their surroundings. "And we need to get out of this wind. It will dehydrate us faster than the heat."

"Aye, Sir."

"According to the geological survey, there should be a water basin at the lower elevation if we can find a way to get off of this plateau. Seems that the closest rim is about five kilometers due south."

"Five point seven if I remember the map correctly, Sir."

Jim looked at Pavel, "Five point seven? You remember that from a glance at the terrain map?"

"Aye, Sir."

Jim just nodded but thought to himself, 'You have been working with Spock too long!' He turned and picked up a water flask and a small pick that they had been using. He looked around and saw the large cloth sample bag that Rodriguez and been placing the survey samples into. He unpacked the samples and placed the flask and pick inside. He grabbed a couple of the smaller unused sample containers and stuffed them into the bag as well. Glancing around, he didn't see anything else that could be used for their survival over the next days, so he threw one of the straps over his shoulder. It was much larger than the backpack that he kept stashed in his quarters, but it would be serviceable. By nightfall, if his calculations were correct, they should be off of the barren expanse and moving into a more hospitable region.

He turned toward the spot where he had left the young ensign, only to find him missing. In a momentary panic, he swept his eyes around the area quickly; there was no sign of him. There certainly wasn't anyplace to hide, but he was nowhere in sight. He walked swiftly back to the rim of largest of the pits and peered in. In a voice that was an obvious mix of relief and frustration he asked, "Mr. Chekov, haven't you had quite enough of that hole for one day?"

"Sir," Chekov panted as he climbed from the pit, "I noticed some stones that will work well for flint, should we need to start a fire. Also, there are bits of fur that seem to be the consistency of wool that would be useful, too. I thought we might need them later."

"Officer thinking, Mr. Chekov."

Pavel had pulled himself to the rim and hoisted himself onto the flat ground. Standing quickly, he brushed the loose dirt from his uniform and said, "Yes, sir!"

They started off across the, seemingly, endless expanse. Six kilometers was something that neither man would have any problem walking normally, but battling the uncompromising, hot winds was making the trek quite difficult. Many times they had to turn their backs to the unyielding hot air and walk backwards just to give their faces a break from the constant barrage of silt that seemed to be a part of each breath. To communicate, they had to scream their words, and after a while, they ceased trying to talk. To attempt to do so, meant a mouthful of the dust and only made them thirstier than they already were. The flask had been about half full of water when they started out, and after stopping twice to sip from the container, it was nearly empty.

Just when it seemed that this god-forsaken area would never end, they came to the ledge that led to the wooded area below. The sight of vegetation beneath them was a beautiful spectacle. The sun was sinking lower in the sky, and it was going to be quite a descent to reach the bottom of the cliff. But, staying up on the bleak plain overnight was out of the question.

"So, Mr. Chekov, how are your mountain climbing skills?"

"I have never navigated anything this high before, but I do not believe we will find a lift to take us to the bottom."

"You have a point. Just follow my lead. I have been scaling cliffs higher than this since I was twelve years old. I should be able to find us some good handholds." He was lying on his stomach, leaning out over the cliff, trying to pick out the best route for the climb down. He turned around and sat next to the edge. He picked up the bag and ripped the straps from it and tied them together. Pavel sat beside him, watching every determined movement.

The Russian leaned over and peered down to the bottom. He felt his stomach tighten as he saw how far they were going to have to go. The face looked sheer. He had very little climbing experience, only the small amount of training he had received at the Academy, but to admit that right now, did not seem that it was going to help their situation.

Jim retrieved the small pick and stuffed it into his waistband. He pulled out the flask and uncapped it. "It's either drink it, or leave it here." He held the flask out to Pavel.

Pavel took the container and took a swallow of the water. His mouth and throat was so dry, that the water hitting the back of his mouth stung. He handed the bottle to Captain Kirk for him to finish. Jim took the container and downed the last of the moisture. He pushed the flask back into the sack, now devoid of any straps, and flung the sack over the edge of the cliff. Chekov leaned over and watched it drop. It seemed to take a while for it to disappear into the trees below. The drops of water in his throat knotted into a ball.

Kirk tied one end of the strapping to his equipment belt and held the other out to Pavel. "Tie this to your belt. It will anchor us together."

Pavel did know enough about climbing to know you never wanted to tether yourself to an inexperienced climber. The risk of the other one falling and taking you with them was too great. "I don't believe that would be wise." The time for the truth had arrived, "I have to tell you. My only experience in climbing was what I received at the Academy."

"I know, Ensign. Now tie yourself off. We go together, or we don't go at all. And I, for one, certainly want to get off of this god-dammed rock."

Pavel took the end of the strap and tied it securely to his belt.

"Ready, Mr. Chekov?"

Pavel nodded and followed his Captain's lead. Jim told him where each hold was located and, other than a few encounters with some loose gravel, their progress was much quicker than Pavel would have believed. Jim cleared some holds with the small pick as they inched their way down the wall. By the time they came to a ledge wide enough for them both to stand on, they were already more than half way down the cliff. They were beginning to be even with the tops of the tallest trees. This was going much better than Pavel had expected.

Just when he was deciding that this was not so bad, he saw the Captain turn and reach for a grip in the wall beside the ledge, at the same moment the ledge gave way and Kirk began to fall. Feeling the instantaneous tug on his belt, Pavel sat down quickly. He braced his back against the wall and his foot against the one jut in the side of the ledge and held on with all of the strength he could muster. He felt the protrusion that he was pushing against with his foot begin to give way and knew that they were both going over the edge. But the pull against him stopped and the strap became slack. He scooted quickly to the edge, afraid of what he would find when he looked over, and praying it would not be his Captain lying at the bottom of the ravine. "JIM!" He screamed, as he leaned over the edge. There, directly underneath him was Kirk, safe and clinging to the side of the cliff.

Chekov drew a deep breath of relief. "Jim! Are you all right?" He asked breathlessly.

"I'm fine. That was STUPID! I have been climbing long enough to know not to step out on an edge like that!" He shook his head quickly and looked up at Chekov. "I could've killed us both! Are you okay?"

"Yes, yes, I am unhurt. The strap became slack so quickly that I thought it had either broken or come loose. I thought you had fallen."

"No, you held on long enough for me to get a grip. If you can work your way down, there is another ledge over there that looks like a path to the bottom. Swing off where you are, there is a place for your feet right underneath you."

Within minutes they had worked themselves across the face of the cliff and were standing on a full path that wove through the rocks to the bottom. It was not until they were standing together, untying the strap that joined them, that Pavel noticed the large bruise and blood at Kirk's temple. "Captain, you are bleeding!"

Jim reached up and gently touched the spot and looked at the blood on his fingers. "It isn't serious. Superficial more than anything." Then his tone softened as he said, "Without you back there, it would have been much worse." He tossed his head in the direction of the floor of the cavern. But as quickly as he had softened, he was in his command stage, again. "Come on, let's move down to the bottom." Kirk spotted the sack that he had flung from the rim, and retrieved it. He knew that the few items inside might come in handy.

Chekov followed him to the bottom. He had never been so grateful for the feel of solid earth beneath his feet. The trees were tall, but not thick, and maneuvering through the area was not difficult due to the lack of undergrowth. There was a gentle slope to the land, and they knew if they were to find a source of water, it would be at the bottom of the hill. Darkness had descended upon them, but two moons shone brightly, and with the minimal canopy above them, they could continue on with little difficulty.

Pavel paid close attention to his Captain, watching for any signs of distress from the head wound. But, he seemed to be showing no signs of anguish other than the occasional swiping of the, still oozing, wound with the back of his hand. They trudged silently along, their steps muffled by the thick layer of large, velvety leaves that padded the floor of the forest. Pavel's mind began to wander to other thoughts, very inappropriate ones. In his fear that this man had been lost in the fall, he had called the name he only dared to use in the confines of his cabin. In the glow of the muted light, he watched the motion of the man walking just slightly ahead of him. He was the embodiment of grace as he moved through the trees. The sight brought back all that Pavel had desired since that first month on the Enterprise. He suddenly wished to be aboard that ship. Not because of the hardships they were facing, years in the Academy had prepared him for missions such as this, but because several days spent alone with this man was going to do nothing but fire those hidden passions.

"Ensign, look over there!" Jim interrupted his thoughts.

Pavel was startled to reality with the outburst. He looked toward the direction that Kirk was pointing and saw an end to the tree line and the shimmering of the moons caught in the reflection of a body of water. They both dove toward the direction of the reflection. Emerging from the trees, they found themselves on the shore of a lake. Pavel lifted the tricorder from his equipment belt and began taking readings of the area.

"The water seems safe. It is within normal limits for drinking and life forms are limited to small, bottom dwelling, limbless, aquatic vertebrate animals, with fins and internal gills."

"Fish, will do, Mr. Chekov."

"There are fish, Captain. Very small fish."

Jim knelt beside the lake and scooped some of the water into his hand and tasted it. He nodded to Pavel that it was indeed drinkable. They both proceeded to replenish their bodies with the cool, delicious, water. Jim wiped his face and winced slightly when his wet hand brushed across the wound on his forehead. The action did not go unnoticed by Pavel, but he said nothing.

They sat at the edge of the lake, drinking deeply when the dryness in their mouths again called for more of the wondrous water. Jim looked around at their surroundings. Food was going to be an issue, but they had water and were away from the hot winds of the plateau. He knew that they could survive until the ship was able to return for them, albeit an uncomfortable existence, if food was not located. There was a possibility of edible plants that grew around the lake, but to search in the dark would be futile. There seemed to be no animals in the region that would endanger their sleeping in the open, and there was an area of the shore that was flat and dry that they could make comfortable with the leaves from the floor of the wooded area that they had just exited.

"Well. Mr. Chekov, I would say it is time to set up a serviceable camp."

"Aye, sir. I will see if I can get a fire started. There were dry twigs and limbs in the area we just passed through."

"Good, the air is cooling off and it will probably get quite cool before the sun rises. There is a spot over there that seems flat enough to sleep on, let's see if we can set up there."

Jim worked until he had arranged a large mat of the dried, velvety soft, leaves that would be comfortable enough for a temporary bed. Pavel built a fire encasement with stones and soon had a roaring fire going. With the activity and distresses of the day, it would seem that sleep would be preferable, but Pavel found he was feeling energized. He had built the fire, gathered various types of wood to keep it burning, and collected rocks to surround it.

Jim sat back on the mat, another wave of dizziness hitting him, and watched the man in perpetual motion. He had felt this several times since hitting his head, he was now fairly certain that the injury was worse than he had originally thought. He hoped a night of rest was all it would take to shake this feeling.

Pavel looked at the fire and decided that there was nothing more that he could do to make it better. He looked out toward the lake and decided a swim would not only relax him, but also remove the grime that had been a companion since this morning in the pit.

"I am going into the lake. I need something to relax me and I can use a bath."

"I concur." Jim looked at him, his eyes picking up the sparkle from the fire.

"You agree that I need a bath?" he asked with a breathy tone to his voice.

"That you need to relax, Ensign. I have never seen you so nervous." The warmth had come back to the voice and the hint of the smile was there.

Chekov rose swiftly from the mat and proceeded to the edge of the water. He walked a short distance down the shore and looked to see Kirk lying back on the makeshift bed. He stripped off his clothes and dove immediately into the lake. The quick chill of the water felt good. He came up for a breath and submerged himself once more, swimming a good distance toward the middle before he surfaced. He had always been an excellent swimmer, taking the first place award each year in school, and he missed these opportunities to let himself go. The feeling of the refreshing water sliding down his body as he propelled himself beneath the surface was delightful. Little did he realize the picture he was making, gliding across the surface, diving repeatedly with the moon enhancing his nude form. Barely stirring the surface of the lake, making only the tiniest of ripples as he claimed the lake as his own.

Jim had heard the initial splash as Pavel entered the water, but when he heard nothing else, he sat up to assure himself that all was well. He had caught a glimpse of the man as he slid to the surface and then, with the slightest sound propelled himself from the water, turned in the air and dove back under the blackness. The nausea now abated, Jim left the mat and walked to the bank, fascinated by the gracefulness that he was observing. Himself an excellent swimmer, he had never seen such beautiful agility as was being demonstrated by the young man. He was god-like. The moonlight reflected off of the wet torso, highlighting each muscle. He looked positively mythical. Jim felt his body come alive from the splendor he was witnessing.

He shook his head. He had to stop these thoughts about this young man. Chekov was not a minor, by any means, but Jim was twelve years his senior. Twenty-two, 'God, when I was twenty-two, well, okay, I was fucking everything in sight. Not the best example. Damn, that was a great year!' he thought to himself.

But now he had to be very careful about relationships with his crew. There were too many complications that could arise if he were too indiscriminate. However, this man had a way of arousing him to a level he found surprising. And, there was something else that was nagging at the back of his mind. Yes, a dip in the cool water was needed. Actually what was needed was to cease watching the water sprite as he glided over the surface of the lake. But, to tear his eyes from the sight was impossible. Jim slipped his clothes off and slid down the steep shore, into the lake, hoping that the chill of the water would abate this sudden onset of sexual thoughts.

Pavel swam toward the spot where he had left his clothes. As he approached the shore, he noticed he was not alone. "Captain!" he uttered in surprise.

"I decided that a dip in the water seemed like a good idea. Shake some of the dust off."

"The water is perfect for a swim, and it feels good to get the dirt off. The pits were filthy."

"You're an excellent swimmer."

"It was always my sport of choice." He noticed how the light caught the golden strands in his Captain's hair and illuminated them. The soft roll of the voice cut deep into his soul. His body responded to the stimuli in a most familiar way. He knew that in the bright light of the two moons, that he could not exit the water without being exposed. He had already been caught once in this condition, and if he had to stay in the water for the next four days, he was not going to get caught, again. He glanced toward the shore and noticed the fire was burning low. He needed to add wood or it would burn out, and he had used all of the fur he had collected to start this one. He needed to keep it going or they would be running a cold camp. "I need to add some wood to the campfire. It seems to be dying out."

"Yes, you're right," Jim stated. "I believe this is your department, Ensign."

Chekov eyed the steep bank and the spot where he had dropped his clothes, all the while trying to figure out a way to restart the fire if he just allowed it to go out. They had not been equipped with phasers, so there was no other option. "Aye, sir," he acknowledged and started toward the edge. With just a bit of luck, he could angle his body so Kirk would be unable to view his condition. And, once he had slipped into his clothes, his condition would be easier to conceal. 'Damn these bright moons!' he thought to himself. In Russia, they had nights so dark that you couldn't see your hand in front of your face, why couldn't it be a night like that?

He reached the ledge and glanced over his shoulder. Jim was not far behind. This was going to be quite difficult. He laid his hands on the edge of the hard shore and hoisted himself up. As he placed one foot on the edge and started rising above the water level, he knew that there was going to be nothing left to the imagination. He was correct.

Jim watched Chekov as he exited the water. As one foot moved to the edge of the pool-like lake, and the young man's body emerged from the confines of the water, Jim saw a sight that took his breath away. The rounded mounds were so muscular and perfectly formed. He had watched these buttocks, covered, of course, in uniform trousers, many times as Spock and Chekov had bent over the viewer at the science station. A 'duality of perfection', was the thought that always passed through his mind as he would sit in the center seat and try not to gaze at the two gorgeous asses. But this sight was magnificent as the perfect mounds gave way to the soft round sack compacted against the body beneath the spread legs. The sight of the perfectly arched rod that protruded proudly upward from the base of the pouch caused a splash of heat to sprint throughout his body, settling neatly in his groin. His desire for the man was dangerously close to the surface. He truly was a beautiful water sprite with the water sheeting off of his naked body.

Pavel exited the water as quickly as possible, grabbed his clothes and held them before him as he dashed toward the campsite. Upon reaching the edge of the wooded area, he pulled on his trousers and grabbed a few pieces of the wood he had laid there earlier. He walked to the fire ring and laid the pieces on top. The fire was still warm, but he knew it did not account for the heat radiating from his face. He cursed himself for not being better able to control his emotions. Oh, if he could just be more like Mr. Spock! Then the images that he had seen two days before came to mind. No, being more like Spock was not the answer!

He picked up the dirty black T-shirt and decided to forgo the uniform top that was still so soiled from the activities earlier in the day. Not that his other clothes were clean, and he wished he had an opportunity of fresh clothing after his swim. But, that was not an option at the moment. He could only hope for the chance to wash them out at a later time. He heard the footsteps coming close and he turned to see his captain approaching. He had slipped into his trousers but was carrying his boots and shirts.

"It would be nice to have a clean change of clothes, wouldn't it?" he asked, noticing the grimace Chekov had given his uniform shirt before tossing it aside.

"Yes, it would. I feel like I have lived a week in these."

"You could wash them out and let them dry overnight."

Chekov looked up, knowing the offer was made in all sincerity, but surprised at the suggestion, nonetheless. "I would not have anything to wear tonight," he stated.

"The sample bag, if torn apart, will be large enough to cover the sleeping area. I had planned on covering the mat with it, but I don't believe it'll be necessary. You can wrap up in it if you like."

"I would like to get out of these. Those pits were filthy!"

"Then go wash them out. I'll get the bag and have it ready for you."

Chekov nodded and went back to the shore. He stripped down and proceeded to rinse the dirt from his clothes. When he had them as clean as possible, he gathered them up and walked back to the campsite, holding them in front of him. His earlier problem had diminished, but he still did not feel like parading naked in front of his Captain.

Jim had torn the bag at the seams, and it was a large, blanket-sized piece of material. As Chekov was wrapping himself in it, Jim discretely went for more wood to stoke the fire. Bringing back another armload, Jim stumbled and dropped the wood to the ground. His arms went out in front of him and he fell to his knees.

Pavel ran to where Kirk had fallen. "Captain, are you all right?"

Jim struggled to his feet, but was obviously unsteady. "Just a little dizzy. It will pass in a moment."

"Sir, it's the head injury, isn't it?"

"I believe so. I just need to rest."

"Come on, I will help you to the bed." Jim leaned on him until they got close to the mat, then he allowed himself to fall onto the soft leaves."

Pavel ripped off a strip of the material that was tied around his waist and grabbed one of the containers that had been laid aside when Jim ripped open the sack. He went to the water and scooped the container into the cool water and brought it back. He sank the strip of material into the container, brought it out and squeezed the excess water from it. He folded it and knelt on the mat beside Jim's head. He brushed the golden hair away from the site and saw a large bruise and a cut that was still slightly bloody. He laid the wet cloth over the area. Jim moaned at the feel of pressure on the sensitive injury.

"Shhh..." Pavel whispered, "I need to try to get the swelling down."

Jim, his eyes closed, said, "Is that any way to talk to your commanding officer?"

"It is when he is hurt and will not let anyone know. Now be still."

Jim chuckled softly and opened his eyes and looked at the man hovering above him. He smiled softly and said, "And here I thought you had been spending too much time with Spock. I think it is Bones that has had the greater influence on you. You have his bedside manner."

'If you knew what those two do together, you wouldn't be saying that,' Pavel thought. "I believe if Dr. McCoy were here, he would be screaming at you for not doing something about this earlier," he said.

"And you are not going to scream at me?"

Pavel redipped the cloth, squeezed it out, and replaced it on the bruise. "Not if you will be quiet and rest."

"Ummm..." Jim closed his eyes and acknowledged.

Pavel pushed the hair that kept insisting on falling over the forehead back, again. This time he allowed his fingers to card through it slightly. It felt softer than he had imagined. And he had imagined running his hands through this hair more times than he could count, but not like this. Not with him injured.

The motion did not go unnoticed. Whether by accident or intention the move sent ripples throughout Jim's body. He half closed his eyes and his body began to give into the lovely feel of those soft, gentle, fingers caressing him. For a moment, just the briefest of moments, he felt his body settle into something that felt so right...

But this was not right! He could not allow this! Perhaps the ensign was just trying to help, but the feelings that stirred within Jim, as he thought of the Russian's gentle hands on his body, scared the hell out of him. In just that one moment of letting his guard down, the touch of the young hands had almost undone him. Trying to pull back was so hard; he wanted those hands on him... NO! He had to make sure that the feeling did not surface. The fury Jim had felt that night many months ago, came raging back to the surface. As quick as a cat, he grabbed Pavel by the shoulders and threw him to the mat. Had the surface not been well padded, it would have knocked the breath from the young man.

Pavel's eyes flew open in aggregate shock as the face that was now above him shown with a vehement ferocity that Pavel had only seen once before, and that from the seething, calculating, heartless creature that had been beamed aboard the Enterprise from a parallel dimension a month ago. For the first time, he felt fear when looking into this face. The captain stared down at him for a long moment. Pavel saw the anger building behind the hazel eyes, and he began to tremble despite himself.

"NO!" Kirk growled above him. "Don't touch me! Do you hear me?! This can NEVER be! NEVER! Is that understood?!"

Pavel could not speak. He lay there paralyzed at the display. Fingers were digging into the bare flesh at his shoulders but, although his brain perceived this, his body had no feeling of it. The captain held his position, hovering above Pavel, his breath coming in gasps and the face glowing with anger.

The whole episode lasted only seconds, but seemed to go on for an eternity. Pavel first noticed the grip relax on his arms, and saw Jim sway above him, then, the face that had been contorted in anger, transformed into one of panic. In an instant, Jim had lunged off of the mat and was crawling off to the area beside their encampment. Pavel heard him retch as the nausea gripped him. Pavel laid still, his mind still reeling, trying to overcome all that had transpired. Slowly he rolled his head toward the man illuminated by the fire. Over and over Jim heaved, his body contorting with each wave. The man's stomach tried to rid itself of something that was not there. They had not eaten since this morning. Only water had been consumed in over twelve hours, and as dehydrated as they had become, even that did not give it anything to expel.

Pavel rolled to his knees, and then stood up. His first inclination was to go to Kirk, press a cool cloth to his brow, try to relieve the sickness. But he left the man on his hands and knees and walked to the edge of the forest. He found a place away from the light of the fire, and as hidden from the incessant light from the moons as he could get, and sat down. Pavel pulled the material around him, wrapped his arms around his knees and pulled them tightly to him, and watched the man as he struggled.

After a time, the dry heaving stopped, and Jim looked toward the mat. Pavel was gone. My God, what had he done!? He needed to go look for him, but he was in no condition. Everything around him was spinning. He attempted to get to his feet, but the effort was useless. He stumbled again and fell toward the mat. He tried to call out, but the name he wanted to call was silenced before it reached his lips. He felt the darkness as it engulfed him.

For a time, Pavel was unsure whether it was as little as a few minutes or as great as an hour, he sat hidden in the darkness fighting with himself as to whether to go to Kirk or not. Finally the cold overtook him and he was shivering violently. He needed to get to where there was warmth. Jim had not moved since collapsing on the mat, and Pavel knew he had to check on him. He crept close to the fire. What he saw scared him even more that the scene earlier. The Captain's face was lifeless and pale. Ignoring the words shouted at him, he rushed to the side of the man. He reached for the area beneath the ear. There was a pulse, but it was faint. The swelling of the head injury had not improved, and he was now certain that Kirk had gone into shock.

Training took over. He pulled Kirk as close to the fire as he was able and looked around for something to cover Jim with, but there was nothing but his wet clothes. Pavel had the cover wrapped around his shoulders and held it together in front of him. He pulled the fabric from around him and wrapped the cover around the unconscious man. The material was not thick, but it was made to resist wind and water, so it did keep him quite warm. It was large enough to double up and stuff in around Kirk, covering him from chin to his feet. Pavel found the cloth he had used earlier, rewet it and, taking care not to touch his captain at all, placed it against the swollen wound. It was getting much colder, and the fire was not much help. The fire was far enough from the bed to keep any embers from causing the leaves to ignite, but it kept the effects of the heat from being much help, as well.

Pavel did not want Jim coming to and finding him naked, so he retrieved his wet trousers and uniform shirt and pulled the cold, wet, uncomfortable items on. The wind was coming up and its bite against the wet clothing was painful, but necessary. When he had done all for Kirk that he could think of, he sat very near the fire in an attempt to dry his clothes and keep warm--succeeding at neither.

He kept the fire stoked to where it burned at its maximum and noticed that the grayish logs seemed to burn hotter and longer than the other wood he had gathered. He scoured the area for more of these logs, but without light and unable to venture far from the area without a covering to keep him warm, he had to make do with what had been gathered earlier. He checked the tricorder and it was now reading an air temperature of 8.88 degrees C. Hypothermia was becoming a real concern.

Occasionally he would check the compress, rewetting it when necessary, but that was not often. Even with the occasional gusts of wind, the drying effects were minimal, as he could attest to with the clothes he was wearing drying only slightly. This was not the dry wind they had encountered on the plateau, this was a damp, bone chilling wind that seemed to cut through them. Pavel wondered if the evenings on the plateau became this cold. But trying to get back there was impossible. Even if they could devise a way to get water to the area, there was no possibility of Jim scaling the cliff they had descended. Not in the condition he was in. Tomorrow, he could search for a more hospitable place, but for tonight, they just had to survive. He tried to keep himself thinking of everything except the incident earlier. This was not something that he understood, nor did he want to dwell on at this time. He noticed the movements underneath the cover, and then began to hear a soft moaning of someone who was fighting to regain consciousness.

Pavel turned away from the fire, and watched as the man thrashed himself to awareness. The compress was thrown off and the cover was kicked and pulled out of the way. Pavel did nothing to interfere. The eyes blinked and then the body stilled once more. For several minutes there was no movement except for the rising and falling of the chest. The color in the face seemed to improve and it seemed that even the swelling had decreased somewhat. When it seemed the man had once again lapsed into unresponsiveness, Pavel crept close, knelt down and began to replace the fabric.

As Pavel was tucking the wrap back into place, Jim woke up. "What are you doing?"

The voice startled him and Pavel noticeably jumped at the sound of the voice.

"It is getting colder and you need to keep warm." Pavel tried not to shiver either from fear or from the gust of cold air that slapped against the now bone chilling, wet trousers.

"What about you? You need to stay warm."

"I'll be fine. I'm going to go sit by the fire."

The captain had laid the leaves down in an area much larger than any bed, so they would not have had to sleep very close together. But to lay down here was not possible. He could never allow himself to be that close to this man. A sick remorse came over him for allowing himself the fantasies of these last months. He knew the time alone was going to be difficult, but this was torturous. The man he had come to care about had discovered his secret and was repulsed to be here with him. He began to shake noticeably and knew he needed to sit by the fire, at least until his clothes dried.

Jim sat up, untangling himself from the cloth that was wrapped around his legs. "If you think I am going to lay here warm while you are sitting by the fire freezing, you are wrong."

"Please, you have a concussion..."

"If I do, it really isn't as bad as some I have had. Look, Pavel, there is no reason not to share this. Lay down and we can both cover up with it."

Hearing this man use his first name gave him a sick feeling. Only his family and friends called him "Pavel," and this man was neither. And, once they returned to the ship, and the transfer had been requested, this man would no longer be his Captain.

"No, thank you. I am fine," Pavel answered flatly, not caring if the hurt was obvious.

Jim heard the wounded tone of the voice. He realized the earlier outburst had not been some delusion brought on by his concussion. He had thrown Pavel to the ground and berated him. Screamed at him for only one reason, for being him. Jim reached up and gingerly touched the source of the pain at his forehead and knew that some of his reaction may be traced to this injury. He certainly wasn't thinking straight this evening, but he knew the real reason was etched deeply into the months of desire he had felt for this young man. He looked toward Pavel, but the youthful, open face was nonexistent. Instead a face of chiseled stone glared back at him. And he knew that he had destroyed the spirit that he had come to admire in this young man.

"Pavel..." Jim searched the face of the man. "I am so sorry for what happened earlier. I guess this knock on the skull is making me act unusual."

"It isn't the first time."

"What?"

"It isn't the first time you have been angry with me over this same thing. It is just the first time you have attacked me because of it. Well, after we get back to the ship, it will no longer be a concern. I have been considering it for some time, but now I am sure that my transfer request will be on your desk the day we get back."

"Angry?...At you? And what do you mean you have been considering transfer? I do not want to lose you. Pavel, what the hell are you talking about?" Jim rose up on one elbow. Now he was completely confused.

Pavel could not look the man in the eyes. He dropped his head and said, "About the night in the gym. I know what happened upset you. I am the one that is sorry." "Was I that obvious?"

"The next day you were very upset with me. Of course I knew why. I know you were disgusted with me. You haven't had much to say to me since. I don't know what else I have done, but I have considered it very carefully. My six months duty requirement will be up next week. I will request a transfer." Pavel raised his eyes and a look of pleading had replaced the stony expression. "I did not mean for it to happen. I really didn't mean anything by it. I wanted to explain, but I never could find a way to do it. Then everything got back to normal, well sort of."

Jim sat straight up. "What the hell do you mean, transfer? And just what do you think you did that made me act like I was disgusted with you?"

"You know, my reaction."

"Pavel, what are you talking about?"

"When I became aroused during our match. After it was over, you looked at me with such disapproval and then you left. The next day you were very angry with me, and since then, you haven't said ten words to me outside of duty."

"Oh, shit!" Jim laid down and put his arm over his eyes, but the pressure hurt his head and he removed it. He turned and looked at Pavel who had once again dropped his head. "Pavel, there are some things that we need to clear up. I was not disgusted by anything that you did that night, nor by anything you have done since you came aboard. I was not mad at you, I was mad at myself, furious at my inability to control my thoughts. Then and again tonight."

"Why?"

"Well, let's just say it seems that we were both having the same reaction that evening. And since then, well, I have been trying to put as much space between us as possible. But tonight, seeing you in the water, it brought it all back. Those feeling that I have been trying to ignore."

"You mean you...were...aroused, as well?"

"Pavel, the thoughts that I had about you, well, 'aroused' doesn't even begin to cover it. I'm sure it was the intensity of the moment." A lie, but it would have to do. "Normally, I would never discuss this, but you have to understand that I have not found fault with you or anything that you have done. I do apologize for not better handling my reaction to you. I am especially sorry that I have made you to feel guilty for any of this. I had no idea."

Another blast of the chilling wind swept across them. It was the first realization of the extremes between the day and evening hours. He saw Pavel wrap his arms around himself and shiver.

"My God, you're freezing out there. Ensign, at least for the time being, I am still your Captain. Get over here and cover yourself with the sack."

"I'm okay," Pavel chattered, through teeth that he could not will to be still.

Jim started unwrapping the fabric with intention of giving it to Chekov, but before he could finish untangling it from around his feet, Pavel spoke up. "I will not take that. You have to stay warm. You have already lost consciousness once. If something happens to you, Dr. McCoy will kill me."

"Either you use the cover, we both use the cover, or we both freeze." The idea of actually getting to stretch out and be warm did appeal to him, but the sight of Jim throwing him to the ground was still very fresh. Could it have really been that he was angry with only himself? He sounded like he meant it. The idea of getting out of the cold wind won out. He nodded and lay down beside Jim. Jim began to spread the cloth over them. "Pavel! Your clothes are still soaking wet! No wonder you are shivering. You are never going to get warm wearing those."

"I have nothing else to put on. I should have waited until tomorrow to wash my uniform. They will dry."

"Sometime tomorrow. But you need to get out of those."

"Captain, I have nothing else to wear."

"It's that, or I give you the blanket back."

Pavel squirmed out of the unforgiving wet material and tossed them aside. He rolled onto his side where his back was toward Kirk. Jim pulled the cloth around them and they settled down to sleep.

***

It was a while later that Pavel awoke. He rolled toward the fire and knew that he needed to add more wood. He looked back at Kirk, who was sleeping soundly. He slipped out from underneath the cloth and retrieved the last of the wood they had gathered. With the additional logs, the fire reblazed quickly. As he stepped around the fire ring, he saw Jim lying on his side, still asleep. He felt his clothes, but they were still wet. Pavel looked at the bruise, but it was no longer bleeding, and the swelling was still down. He lay back down and pulled the cover back up over him. Jim stirred and opened his eyes.

"Pav," Jim whispered, "I'm sorry for getting injured and leaving this up to you. It was a stupid move to step that close to the edge. But I have been making a lot of stupid moves lately, haven't I?"

"I am just glad it wasn't worse. I thought for sure you had gone to the bottom."

"And I thought we were both goners. I couldn't get the strap untied and couldn't find a handhold. How did you have the strength to support me that long?"

"I've been working out on the machines every night. I guess it paid off."

There was silence between them for several minutes. Sleep should have come easily, but Pavel laid awake, staring at the cloudless sky and trying to calculate where the ship would be now. Relief flooded him. The cloud that had been over him for these weeks had lifted, and he felt as if he could soar. He knew that he would not sleep the rest of the night.

Jim had almost drifted off when the thing that had been nagging at him suddenly congealed into perfect sense. In a sleepy haze, he whispered, "You called me Jim."

"What?" Chekov turned his head to look at the man, not understanding what he meant, at first.

"On the cliff, when you thought I had fallen, you called me Jim."

"I am sorry. I did not mean to offend you."

"You didn't offend me. I am just curious why, under pressure, you would call me by a name that you have never used before." He noticed the 'caught in the headlights look' on Pavel's face. He had thought about this carefully, priding himself on reading those close to him. Now he knew that his deductions were correct. "Or have you?"

Joy turned to cold fear as it washed over Pavel's body. How did he know? How would he react?

Only silence met his question, a deafening silence. "Pav, how many times have you called my name?" Now fully awake, there was no doubt. Intensity of the moment, hell! And Jim wanted to be able to go to him. Wanted him so badly that it hurt. But, he had to stop this, now. Kirk sat up and wrapped his arms around his bent knees. It was the times like this that he resented her the most. Yes, her, the only one, the female, which completely claimed his soul. She, who held him close and allowed him to sit in her most private area. To feel all that she had to give, and in return take him to emotional heights of which he had always dreamed. Yes, his first loyalty was to the silver beauty that lay waiting, far from this place. "I'm sorry, you don't have to answer that. I have no right to pry."

Pavel exhaled deeply, steeling his courage he replied, "I will answer you. Alone, in my cabin, it is a name that I have come to know well. I never meant for you to find out."

"Do you know that I desire you, as well? I have since that evening."

"You? Desire me? It was not just that one time?" Pavel rolled to his side, facing the one that he had wanted to touch and be touched by since his arrival on the ship.

Jim brought an arm from around his knees and touched his fingers to the side of the youthful face. It was such a youthful face. Jim was certain that with this man's good looks and charm that he was certainly no virgin, but he did seem so young. Jim pulled his hand back and silently cursed her, the one that would not allow him to give into this.

"No, it was not. But, Pavel, you understand that there is a part of me that I can give to no one but her. The most intimate part of me belongs only to the Enterprise."

"I know," Pavel whispered. And he did know. He realized why this man had seemed so unreachable. There would never be another that came between him and his ship. "But now, on this planet, she is not here. Let me call your name, this once, and have you hear me. I will ask you for nothing more."

Jim stared at the face that moments ago seemed so young, and saw not a youth, but a man. He reached for him under the material and pulled him close. Jim felt the strong, compact arms encase him. Their lips brushed together and parted. "Jim," Pavel whispered, and this time was met by the soft lips claiming his own.

The flames of the campfire shown bright as the heat between the two men lying together ignited into denied passions. Jim kissed his way around the round face and tongued his way down the softness of the neck and to the lightly furred chest. He claimed a nipple and Pavel arched against him, moaning into the night air. As Jim encircled the tight pebble and sucked and teased it, his hand moved lower, across the hard abdomen and into the thick thatch of fur. Jim combed his fingers through the course pelt, and he pulled his face away from Pavel's nipples and looked into the dark eyes. He wanted to be sure that this was ok. There was no doubt in the passion filled eyes. He continued further, and when his hand lightly contacted the base of the thick erection, he heard Pavel gasp with ecstasy.

Pavel's body was ablaze with the realization that this was not a fantasy or a dream. The man that he desired for these months, was touching him in a way that he had never fantasized could feel this good. His organ throbbed against the hand as blood filled it, and he knew he was going to ejaculate quickly. But there was something he needed, something he had never dared to hope. This man, pressed against him. He pulled Jim up to him and pressed his lips against Jim's ear. "Please, I want to feel you against me. All of you."

Drawing deep breaths, Jim whispered, "Then undress me."

Pavel reached for the edge of the gold top and pulled it up, tentatively at first, but when he saw the smile caress the lips of the man, he proceeded more forcefully. Jim released him long enough for Pavel to rid him of both the uniform shirt and the T-shirt underneath. He laid down on his back and let Pavel undo the clasp and zipper of his pants. The opening flared with the pressure and his erection spilled out, covered only by the thin material of his briefs. Jim gasped as the fingers swept up the length of his cock to the waistband of his underwear. The fingers slid inside and stretched the band down over his organ, allowing it to spring to freedom. Jim raised his hips for the pants to be slid across them, and Pavel worked the clothing down and pulled them off of one leg, then the other, and tossed them to the side, along with his trousers that he had discarded earlier.

Stretched out beside Jim, Pavel was propped up on one elbow, one leg pressed against Jim's and one bent with his foot resting on the ground, his hard cock standing rigidly between his thighs. They kept the cover draped over them, but would steal glances at every opportunity.

Pavel reached a hand down and began lightly stroking Jim's calf and inched his way up the very lightly furred leg. His fingers trailed a path to the inside of Jim's knee and up the inside of the muscular thigh. When he raked his fingers across the sensitive area of the upper thigh, he noticed the involuntary movements as Jim's cock jerked beneath the material. Jim's breathing changed when he contacted the thick pouch. They became harder and quicker with anticipation. Pavel's hand continued to the very top of the thigh until his hand was gripping the crease that connected the thigh to the torso, the warm sack resting heavily on the back of his hand. He massaged the crease, stimulating the scrotal sack at the same time. He released the leg and gently encased the scrotum in his hand, separating and massaging each orb located within.

Jim bucked against the touch and nearly came. He felt the deep throbbing within his body that signaled release was imminent. No, he didn't want this to stop. It had been so long since he had given into his desires so completely. Usually brought to orgasm quickly and then reciprocating and bringing his partner off swiftly, then back to duty. His physical needs met, the emotional needs ignored, even on the occasions he was with them. What McCoy and Spock had together was a special bond, but he was not a participant in that realm of their relationship. He enjoyed them as friends and occasional fuck partners, but never thought to envy all else that existed between Spock and Leonard. Had never envied it, that is, until now.

But this, far away from the call of duty, was different. He didn't want this to end quickly. He reached down and grasped the base of his cock and squeezed tightly to stem the flow of his ejaculate.

Pavel watched the movement; there was something so emotive about the action. Then something touched his chest as he watched Jim fight to control his release. Something that he knew he should not begin to feel. It was something that this man could never return, but he did not care. He was falling in love with him. He knew what he had felt before was admiration, and lust. This was so much stronger. This was, also, much more treacherous. He moved his hand to cover the one that Jim was desperately grasping his cock with, and gently stroked the hand. He looked up to Jim's face, their eyes met, and he whispered, "It's ok. Let yourself go."

"No," Jim breathed hard, "I don't want this to end, not yet."

Pavel brought his other hand to the side of the golden head. For all of the strength and power that this man commanded, there was a vulnerability that he had never before imagined. He stretched out along Jim's side, facing him, his fingers finding the soft, golden hair just behind the ear. His eyes seeing the illumination from the moons and the sparks from the fire reflect in the hazel eyes. Those eyes that always seemed to absorb the light from every source. Now they looked at him with such desperation. Pavel continued the stroke the hand that was stemming the release, and felt it relax. He pulled it to his mouth and pressed the palm to his lips. "We have time. You do not need to fight this."

Jim moved his hips and lifted him so Pavel was now resting between his thighs. "Pav," he whispered, as their lips met. Jim felt himself let go of all of the controls as he tasted and consumed Pavel. Their bodies pressed together, their organs seeking, and finding the steeled hardness of each other's. They clutched at each other, feeling the heat as it built between them, sparks of passion flamed by the breeze.

Jim cried out as he was pushed to the edge and beyond. His cock began to jerk between them and the first of his seed began to splash between them in warm, sticky spurts. He held on tightly as his organ throbbed between them, his mouth pressed to the soft hair and ear of his lover. Yes, his lover. A term that had always seemed too dangerous before, was not enough now. His hands moved to the muscular mounds of Pavel's butt, feeling the motion as it thrust against him, over and over, like the oceans tide rolling out then crashing back onto the shore, the driving force capturing his pulsating cock between them. As his semen poured from him, his chest also burst and let loose all that he had never before allowed.

Pavel felt the hot fluid, felt the spasms against his own, ready, cock, the warm semen coating them and he called the name he had called so many times before, "Jim..." He moaned into the damp, warm neck. He kissed the warm neck. He pushed into the wet, hard, slick heat, and erupted. He came in wave after wave and Jim held him tightly, kissing him, holding him to keep him from shattering.

They lay together, holding each other tightly, neither willing to let go. Shivering, but not from the chill of the evening. Not wanting to move even long enough to clean the spent fluid from their bodies. The warm creamy mixture pressed between them as they shifted slightly to nuzzle and taste the other with small kisses on the lips and neck. Pavel whispered into Jim's ear, "I never knew it could be this good."

Jim pulled back to stare into the dark eyes, "Pav, you have had sex before, right?"

Pavel dropped his eyes and looked off to the side. "With females, yes. But never like this."

The shyness of the confession ripped at Jim's chest. "You mean that you have never been, involved, with a male before?"

"I have never desired to be. Not until I met you," He whispered softly.

Jim rolled them to where he was above Pavel. He brushed the dark brown hair away from the even deeper brown eyes. He placed a kiss over each and pulled back to watch the full mouth. This mouth that he had wanted to claim as his own so many times in these last months. "Thank you," Jim whispered.

"For what?" Pavel purred under the touch of this man.

"For wanting me. For being the first that you have wanted to share this with." Pavel looked back up at him, the face so open, the feelings so exposed. Jim moved his lips to the side of the dark head and whispered, "Pav, if you will let me, I want to show you how nice this can be over the few days we will be here."

'Over the few days we will be here,' echoed in Pavel's head. "And then we will have to go back to the ship." Pavel stated. He had to remember that this was only temporary. Jim had made that clear.

"It has to be, Pav. I can't lead you to believe that there will be a long-term relationship. I won't hurt you like that."

Pavel smiled softly. Sulu told him on his first day, that this man would never trick him, again. And he knew now that he wouldn't. But they had this time, and he was going to make the most of it. "Yes, Jim, show me how it can be. Let me have all of you while we can be together." He pressed his newly hard erection into Jim's groin, and rubbed it seductively.

The feel of the hard cock pressing against Jim surprised him. 'Oh, to be twenty-two and insatiable again.' He thought to himself. His hand moved between them and he captured the hard, slick, organ and began to massage it. He rolled Pavel onto his back and he began to suck his way down the compact body. When he reached the sticky fluid, a combination of both of their ejaculates, he found himself becoming hard again. The flavor of them mingled together was very arousing. He worked down and captured the thick head of the cock with his lips, and felt Pavel's back arch when his tongue circled the ridge. He moved to where he was lying between the muscular thighs and he lathed the thick sack with his tongue. Savoring the flavors found there. He moved to the throbbing cock and teased it until Pavel was writhing beneath him. He collected the fluid that was still fresh on the tight abdomen with his fingers and, as he teased the cock, he searched underneath the sack for the tight, virginal, puckered orifice. Smearing the creamy cum around the tight hole, he slid a slick finger just inside the muscular ring.

Pavel moaned loudly at the invasion of this most private opening. He had imagined this many times, but to actually have this area touched was much different from his fantasies. Much better. The fullness he felt was beyond ecstasy. But, there was a degree of embarrassment there as well. What if, no, it was too embarrassing to think about.

Jim felt the cock soften under his lips. He looked up at Pavel, "Does it hurt to have my finger inside of you?" he asked softly.

"No, it feels very good. It's just, what if...I mean that is where I..."

"Pav, don't worry. Just let yourself feel what I am doing. It is not my first experience with this area." He slid his tongue up the length of the shaft, feeling it come back to life. He pressed his finger in a little more into the damp chamber. He knew that until this area was used to the feeling of being invaded, that there was a possibility of the body doing all it could to expel the invasion. Jim quietly soothed him as he proceeded. "Just relax, Pav. I won't hurt you." Chekov seemed to adjust quickly, and when his finger found the small organ within, heard the gasp of pleasure and felt the man press hard against his hand, and his cock pulsate.

"Oh..." Pavel breathed, "God, that feels so good!" He gasped again for air, "I had heard...but I never believed..."

Jim brushed across the nodule again and felt Pavel melt beneath him. He licked the length of the engorged, throbbing, erection from root to tip then captured the organ and sucked deeply.

Pavel had brought his hands to the soft hair and he looked down and saw the head between his thighs. With the stimulus inside him, the mouth claiming his organ, and the sight of who was doing the claiming, Pavel felt his body and mind race. He pushed his hips up, forcing his organ deep into Jim's throat, rolled his head back and moaned the name that had touched his lips so many times these months. "Jim...Oh, Jim!" he called into the darkness as his cock exploded into the heat.

Air rushed into his lungs in deep gasps. His body tingled all over as if every nerve ending had been individually stimulated. He felt the material as Jim pulled it up around them. An arm moved gently under his head and he curled into the softness of the flesh. He felt sleep claim him, his last thought was that he was happy.

***

His first thought upon waking was that the dream had come again in the night, but stronger, so much stronger. He opened his eyes to find he was not looking into the confines of his cabin, but toward a smoldering campfire. He rolled over quickly to see Jim curled against him. 'Oh, God! It was real!'

Jim stirred against him, opening his eyes to the shocked expression on the round face. "Good morning," he stretched.

"Good morning? Yes, good morning! It really did happen, didn't it?"

Jim pulled him close, bushing his mouth against the young, full lips. "And I hope it will, again. But right now we need to clean up and see what we can find in the way of food. I don't know about you, but I've worked up quite an appetite." He pulled back and smiled at Pavel.

"Are you feeling better? Your head?" Pavel rose to one elbow so he could view the wound. His erection pressed into Jim's thigh.

"My head is just fine, how about yours?" Jim asked seductively, running his hand up the hard shaft and making circles at the smooth tip.

"You are avoiding the question!" Chekov smiled. "How is this head?" He tapped the area above the injury lightly.

"Much better. I think the worst is over. Now, before you take me to places that I can not come back from, food."

"I think first, I need to, well, find some privacy."

"There is a whole forest. I am afraid you will not find a bathroom around here. It's the best we have. At least it's convenient."

Pavel scooted out from under the material and headed for the tree line. Jim stood up and stretched, and headed out in the other direction. After relieving himself, he began to wander down the bank of the lake. The early morning sun was bright and warm, and felt good on his bare skin. He knew that he and Pavel were the only ones on the small planet, and considering the activity during the night, the use of clothing for modesty, did not seem to be necessary.

With the rising sun, the air had already warmed significantly. It was already obvious that the day would be hot. He located an area in the bank that sloped gradually into the water, instead of the sudden drop off further up where they were camping. He walked onto the silt and found it to be almost beach-like. He walked into the water until he was waist deep. The water was warmer here due to the shallowness that allowed the sun to warm the pool-like area. He washed the dried residue from his abdomen, then submerged himself and washed the rest of this body. The bruise on his head still stung when he went under, but not as bad as it had last night.

Clean, he left the water and began his search for edible plants. The terrain was changing into a flatter, beached area and he noticed the tall trees were giving way to shorter, thicker forms of vegetation, some which held large, orange clusters of fruit. He gathered several of the clusters and headed back to their campsite. He knew that the tricorder could breakdown the content of his find, and tell him if this fruit was edible.

When he rounded the shore, he saw that Pavel had stoked the fire just enough to keep it from burning out. He was squatting beside the fire ring, adding small lengths of wood. In the heat of the day, they were not going to need the warmth.

Looking up from the fire, Chekov saw a feast for the eyes coming toward him and his body refused to breathe. Several months ago, he had seen Jim without his shirt, a sight that began a series of fantasies, and he had seen him naked and aroused in the moonlight just last night, but this man was meant to be naked in the bright light of the sun. With the bright sun highlighting him, the bronze body and golden hair created an aura of radiance that seemed to surround him. As he drew closer, Pavel couldn't help but notice the soft reddish-blond thatch that framed the scrotum and the way the softened penis lay across the sack, its length just slightly longer than the sack, itself. As Jim walked, the sun glistened in the light fur. Pavel's body screamed for oxygen, and he drew in a deep, gasping breath as Jim reached him.

"Pav, you okay?" Jim asked, seeing the strange look on the ensign's face.

"Jim, you are beautiful!"

"It's just the food I'm carrying," he grinned. "Let's get the tricorder and see if this stuff is going to kill us, or not."

Pavel stood to retrieve the box that was resting on the end of the mat. The sight of Jim had caused him the usual reaction when he thought of this man, and his cock was bearing testimony to that fact. He was a little embarrassed and looked toward his clothes that were spread out on a branch not far from the mat. He considered reaching for his trousers, but since his captain seemed comfortable staying naked, he decided it would be bad form to slip the pants on. He retrieved the tricorder and turned back to Jim.

Jim noticed how Pavel turned his body to hide his arousal and he had to smile as he carefully dropped the delicate fruit and stared at the young man as he moved. That area in his chest that had burst during the night as he had held the man close and felt their fluid splash between them, gripped him. He closed his eyes briefly and drew a cleansing breath. There would be plenty of time to explore the desire that was about to overtake him. He had to remind himself, that even in these circumstances, he was the captain, and food was the first order of business. However, as the man bent down to retrieve the device, another kind of hunger threatened to consume him.

In the few moments that it took Pavel to bring the tricorder to the spot where Jim had laid the food, he observed that Jim had developed a full-blown, hard-on. Any apprehension that Pavel was feeling about his own condition faded with the sight. He looked into the face of the man smiling at him and any of the usual shyness that would have seemed the norm for the "morning after," left Pavel. From that point on, they were both very comfortable in their nakedness, as if this were meant to be.

Pavel picked up a piece of the fruit and after running the scanner over it, he stated, "It seems to have a meaty content with a seven gram per ounce sucrose content. It is high in a digestible derivative of vitamins A and C and has other trace minerals as well. It seems to contain a juice that has some protein value, and I see nothing about it that will cause harm."

"You are saying it is edible."

"It is."

"Mr. Chekov, I do believe that Mr. Spock is having an unusually high effect on you. You are beginning to sound remarkably like him."

Pavel dropped his head to stare at the fruit he was still holding. He took his thumbs and tore into the orange globe. "I suppose," he murmured.

Jim noticed the reaction, and as Pavel handed him half of the fruit, he said, "I'm sorry. Did that bother you? Being compared to Spock? I thought you enjoyed working with him."

Pavel's head snapped up, "Oh, I do. I have learned a lot by working with him. The science station is becoming second nature to me, now."

"Then what is it? You have acted odd every time I have mentioned him lately." There was no response, just Pavel looking away, across the lake, as he took a bite of the orange substance.

Jim noticed the physical reaction. Pavel had become softer as he concentrated on analyzing the cluster of fruit, but now he was becoming aroused again. It was amazing how clothes masked these reactions. But why would he become aroused at the mention of Spock? "Pav," Jim spoke in hushed tones, "are you attracted to Mr. Spock?"

Pavel looked toward Jim. "No! Well, not exactly, no."

"Then, what is it?"

"I can't say."

Jim decided not to press the issue, he took a piece of the fruit. It was not bad. It reminded him of a pomegranate. Not his favorite taste, but he was hungry and this would suffice. They sat in silence as they finished off several of the meaty produce. Jim tossed the last half of one toward the water, and stretched out on his side, propped up on one elbow, facing Pavel. His arms were wet and sticky from the thick juice that had been a product of their breakfast. He licked the gooey substance from one finger. The juice was better tasting than the meat, itself, definitely sweeter. When Pavel had had his fill, Jim looked toward the man with the drops of juice running down his chest. "I think we could use a dip. I feel sticky all over," Jim said. It was a break in the silence that had formed between them.

"Yes, I think so. It was good, but messy." Pavel stood up and walked toward the bank.

"I found a better place down there. It actually has an area that is like sand. Do we need to do anything to the fire for a while?"

"No, I found some logs that burn like a slow charcoal. They should last for hours before they burn out completely, probably well into the evening."

Jim nodded. They started out, again in silence, toward the pool that Jim had discovered. They walked out onto the fine silt and into the waist-deep water where they floated for a time. Pavel pushed out further and began the ritual that Jim had seen in the moonlight the night before. Once he had stood on the cliffs at Jervis Bay and watched the fur seals at play. In the late afternoon he spotted a lone dolphin that wandered into the area. The dolphin swam with such grace and agility as it glided through the surface of the water, barely making a ripple. The sight created an admiration for dolphins that Jim had never before experienced. It would leap from the water, seemingly defying gravity, and return to the depths of the ocean. He stood riveted to the place in the cliff for more than an hour, mesmerized by the sight, until the dolphin swam away. He got that same feeling watching Pavel. But there was so much more to this man, it was not just watching a beautiful act of nature, it was watching a stunning, corporal human, at play. Jim moved to the edge of the water, lying on the beach with only his knees and below submerged in the lake, and watched, and became very aroused.

Pavel swam over toward him, and stood up, his own arousal now very evident. Jim watched as the water slid off of the body. "The water excites you," he said. "You were aroused last night after your swim."

Pavel stretched out beside him, and caressed Jim's erection with his fingers. "The water relaxes me, you excite me," he purred. He bent his head and licked the length of Jim's hard cock, causing a moan from deep within to emit from Jim's lips. The sound touched his soul, and Pavel wanted more. His lips ringed the flared head and he tongued the tiny slit. He tasted the first of the fluid as it formed. It was warm and salty. He pulled his mouth from the cock and looked up at the man who was supported on his elbows. "You taste good," Pavel whispered.

"You have never tasted a male before this, have you?"

Pavel's hand continued to milk the erection as he spoke. "When I was young, and had just began to masturbate, I tasted my own fluid after I had cum. It did not taste like this."

"No, we never believe that our own fluid tastes good, unless it is on the lips of someone else."

"And that makes a difference?"

"Yes, Pav, that makes a big difference. It is very arousing to taste your own fluid on the lips of your lover." Jim's words were becoming low and besieged with desire.

Pavel moved his head back to the engorged organ, and saw the next droplets of pre-cum as they emerged from the tiny slit. His lips went to the tip and sucked the freshly formed fluid into his mouth. He took the organ inside and began to move up and down on it. His hand moved to the thick bag and he felt the orbs inside as they softly moved toward the body, the sack thickening in preparation for ejaculation. He felt Jim lay back and the hands that came to his head, pushing softly against him, encouraging him further down on the organ. The hips began to rise to meet his thrusts, and in a rasped voice, Jim panted, "Pav, I'm going to cum. If you..." gasp, "don't want me to cum in your mouth..." gasp, "you better move, now."

Pavel was ready for this. This man had sucked him dry just hours before. He needed to taste him, all of him. He drove his mouth deeper on the hard shaft, taking almost all of the long, thick organ down his throat. Jim clutched his hair and arched his back as the throbbing waves began. The warm fluid filled Pavel's cheeks as he swallowed as much of the salty cum as he could. Some still spilled out of the sides of his mouth. He sucked deeply and used his tongue to encourage wave after wave of the luscious fluid from the pulsating rod. When the last of the seed was spent, he let the organ slip from his lips.

Jim pulled the young man up to him, and captured the sweet, wet mouth. He tasted his own creamy fluid still clinging to the sides of the lips. He tongued the fluid until he had cleaned the corners of the mouth and then captured the full lips with his own. His tongue pressed inside the sweet tasting mouth and met a mixture of wonderful flavors. He tasted the sweet saliva of the man, still holding the flavor of the juice of the fruit eaten just minutes before, and his own musky flavor.

Pavel lay on top of him, pressing his need into the still damp groin. The wonderful taste of the maleness being shared between them. Jim felt that Pavel was very close to orgasm. He moved his hands down Pavel's back and clutched at the mounds, massaging and separating them. His fingers found the puckered orifice and began to rub across it. Pavel bucked harder against him. Jim stretched the opening and pushed one fingertip just inside. He felt the pressure as the hips pushed against the invasion, wanting more. Pavel released the mouth and rose up on his outstretched arms. He moved up on Jim's body just enough to give him free access to his body's entrance.

"Yes, press deeper inside of me. I want your fingers inside, like I saw him do."

"Who, Pav? Who did you see do this?" Jim pressed his finger deeper, pulled it out and pressed inside again, even deeper this time. He felt the channel relax to receive him.

"More!" Pavel called, wanting to be stretched and filled. "He pushed one finger inside, then two. He slipped his fingers in and out then pushed another in." Sexual passion had consumed him. The picture of Spock pressing his fingers inside of the doctor, preparing him, for what was to come, filled his mind.

"And then he begged to be fucked! Oh, God, I came, right there in the darkness, rubbing my cock through the uniform pants, I came!" He bucked against Jim, then fell onto him as his fluid spewed onto their abdomens. Jim worked his fingers in and out of the channel until the thrusts against him quieted and Pavel was laying on him, calmer. He knew. Spock and Bones were not alone in that room. He knew of no one who loved a good fuck better than Bones McCoy. Jim's hand went to the head of dark brown hair; he caressed and smoothed it as the man lay panting on top of him.

When Pavel could move, he rolled off of Jim and lay beside him. He knew in the heat of passion, he had said too much. But he had not revealed who or when he saw this. He would not betray these men, or the feelings that they had for each other.

Jim sat up, and splashed water onto his abdomen, watching the drops carry away the creamy fluid coating his abdomen and groin. He knew he had a lot of explaining to do, things that this man may not be able to accept. He took a breath, "You were in the sickbay, weren't you?"

Pavel sat up quickly. "How do you know that?"

Jim looked at the young man, "Am I right?"

Pavel looked down, "Yes," he admitted quietly. "How did you know?"

"Pav, they told me."

He looked up, his eyes widened. "That I was there? They know I was there?"

"No, Pavel, they have no idea that you saw them. They were sure that they were alone."

"Then how? Why?"

"Pav, I am well aware of the relationship between Mr. Spock and Dr. McCoy. I also know about their rendezvous in the exam room at the same time I had sent you down to see about the burn on your arm."

"They talked to you about this?" Chekov's tone was one of shock. He couldn't understand why they would discuss this with their Captain.

Jim knew he had to explain. It was more than he was prepared to do, but there was no getting around it. "Pav, what I am going to tell you is, well, not confidential more than private. Spock and Bones McCoy are lovers, have been for several months, now. They even plan to bond when this mission is completed." He paused, and then continued, "Bones and I have been friends, very close friends, for many years." He looked toward Pavel and was met by a face that was registering only part of what he was saying. "Pavel, do you understand what I am saying? Bones and I have had a sexual relationship for many years. Since I was an upperclassman at the Academy."

"Yes...I understand." The look of shock was leaving Pavel's face and was being replaced by something more concrete. "But, it was not you with Dr. McCoy in the room, it was Mr. Spock."

"I'll get to that." As that was sinking in, Jim continued. "Do you remember that time when we diverted to Vulcan--when we met T'Pring, Spock's wife?" When Pavel nodded his head, he continued, "After Spock's marriage ceremony was disrupted, he returned to the ship. There were issues, physical issues, which he had to deal with. There was only one who he desired to share this with. He admitted that the one individual that had spurred his emotions since their first meeting was also the one he had been harboring a desire for. Bones McCoy. Spock has been a very close friend since I took over the Captaincy on the Enterprise. There was something very special between us right from the beginning." He saw Pavel look at him, questioningly. "No, not in a sexual way, but deeper somehow. A trust that was immediate. He has been able to confide in me feelings, thoughts, that he has never been able to communicate to another. And in turn, I have trusted him with my most valuable possession, the Enterprise and its crew.

"After his return from Vulcan, during a series of discussions I came to understand that he desired McCoy, desired him in a way that I would never be able to give Leonard. I knew that Bones had secretly been crazy about Spock since their first meeting," Jim chuckled. "I guess it was reason Bones disagreed with Spock all of the time--just to get a rise out of him, some sort of emotion that he could latch onto. We were all close friends, but I arranged for them to spend some time alone, together. It seems to have been a good move, they have been inseparable since."

"I still don't know why they would have told you about the sickbay. If they are so close, it would not seem that they would tell you of every romantic encounter."

Jim looked at him. This man was sharp. He drew a deep breath and continued. "I have over these months needed Bones. Needed him in this way. I did not say anything to him, but if nothing else, Bones McCoy is a very astute physician. He and Spock decided to invite me to join their relationship."

Now the look of shock returned full force. "You mean that the three of you sleep together?"

"Well, I cannot say there is much sleeping going on when I am with them, but yes, we are involved sexually, the three of us. It is not consistently that I join them, but it is often enough that we have found a level of comfort together. And Pavel, we have no secrets from each other. They are aware of the feelings that I have developed toward you, that you arouse me."

"You have told them that you desire me?" Jim laid back and Pavel rested his head on the strong shoulder. Lying together, Pavel traced a nipple with one finger.

"Yes. Do you remember the day that you thought I was upset with you?"

"The day after our sparing match in the gym. I remember it well."

"It was Spock that set me straight. He made it clear that I was acting like a fool. Told me it was not your fault that I found myself attracted to you. He told me that I had better set things straight, and soon. Actually, he said that you were a fine officer and the only person he trusted to take over the science station when it was needed. Said if I didn't settle this, he would. I have never seen him so angry. He wasn't screaming, he was doing that deep-voiced Vulcan seethe. I don't know what he would have done, but I didn't want to find out. Anyway, he was right.

"After that, I tried to treat you like I always had, but I found it difficult. You would say something humorous and then break out in that dammed smile, and I wanted to melt. How could I get close to you and you not know what I felt for you?"

Pavel rose and took the nipple in his mouth and sucked on it until it was pink and hard. He noticed the flaccid cock nested in the soft golden curls reacting.

Jim pulled him up to him. "You keep this up, and by the time the ship gets back, I will be a very old man!"

Pavel laughed and Jim could, for the first time, fall into that laugh. He rolled him over and captured the sweet mouth. He ran his hand down the compact torso and felt the organ between the thighs, teased the tip and ran his hand up the hard rod. Then he released it and lay back down.

"No fair!" Pavel snuggled back on the smooth chest.

"Later. Now, tell me when you decided you wanted me."

"If I had known what I was feeling, I would say the day I came aboard. But never feeling these feelings toward a male, it wasn't until the night of that match that the dreams began."

"A dream, about me? Interesting, tell me more."

Pavel began to relay the series of dreams, and told of how they moved from his sleep into his fantasies. He realized how unreal it felt to be lying here, naked, beside the man that had inspired those bouts of fantasy, telling him how he would picture them and how he would bring himself off while envisioning them together. Of course, it also seemed unreal that that man would lay here beside him, naked, and tell him of his relationship with his First Officer and his CMO. Pavel was unsure as to which scenario seemed the most impossible to believe. In either case, they lay in the sun, letting the rays warm their skin, and discussed matters that would have never been discussed, otherwise.

Jim felt himself relaxing more with this man than anyone, male or female, in a very long time. That was including the two men that he had left on the ship. It was a wondrous feeling to lay in the waters edge and let himself believe, at least for the moment, that this was what his life was about. For the next few hours, they would lay together, occasionally stroking, often kissing, and spoke of things that they had never confided in another being. Hopes, dreams, fears, past achievements and failures, but never of the future. Their life together was here and now. They would rise and eat of the fruit when they were hungry, and wash the residue from their bodies in the water. Sometimes touching each other in the water, sometimes on the sandy beach, sometimes not at all.

In the late part of the afternoon they started back to their camp. They had found some bulb-type plants that resembled potatoes and some other interesting plant meats. They carried their finds with them, it seemed a stew might be a possibility for dinner. Pavel scanned each with the tricorder, and announced all but one leafy plant edible. As he scanned each find, he would thoroughly describe each as to their chemical breakdown, and what known substance each most resembled. Jim took one of the containers he had rescued and filled it with water and sat it over a makeshift rack on the resuscitated fire. Pavel cleaned and broke the vegetables into the container and they sat back and watched the sun sink into a purple haze and the moons rise. They found the stew to be very enjoyable and ate until they were both satisfactorily full. They drank from the flask that they filled from a stream that emptied into the lake. It was fresh and pure.

A silence descended over them. It was not a silence of avoidance, but of tranquillity that accompanied contentment. They were clean, fed, warm, sated. They had exposed their dark, innermost dreams, desires and secrets to each other and found acceptance. At this moment, their souls were one, and it was at peace. There were few night sounds found on this planet except for the rarity of the mountain dwelling blatar, a small goat-like animal, that would occasional bleat a call to attract a mate, and the soft crackling sound that accompanied the fire.

They lay on the mat with the material pulled around them. Jim spooned his body to Pavel's. They fit together perfectly. His arms wrapped around the man who had come to mean so much to him, and he felt two strong arms fold across his own. His chin rested on the top of the thick, brown, teetering on non-regulation, hair. He smiled to himself as he drifted off to sleep.

They slept throughout the night. Once, Pavel awakened and looked at the smoldering fire. He knew that it would not burn out until well after daybreak, and with the man snuggled against him, he was not cold. He caressed his hand down the length of the strong forearm that lay draped across him, and again fell into a deep, soundless sleep.

He felt the light on his skin, and even before opening his eyes, knew that morning had broken. Jim was still pressed against him, only this time the erection pressing against his buttocks was very evident. He felt the soft nuzzling at the nape of his neck, and knew this is what awoke him.

Jim felt the man stir. He had been awake for several minutes and had not been able to resist the soft area of the neck. He tasted the skin where it joined the back, right above the spinal column. He had his usual morning erection, but instead of freeing himself from the tangle of arms and legs, and going to relieve himself, which was the usual cure for the morning affliction, he pressed gently into the round mounds. He heard Pav make a sound that could only be described as a coo, and felt him press back against him.

"Good morning," he whispered into the neck.

"Hummm," was the response.

He reached between them with one hand and spread the globes so he could bury his organ within the crevice. He did not press his head to the tight orifice, but just let Pavel get used to the feeling of his cock massaging the area.

It didn't take much time for the man to adjust to the feeling. He pressed harder to the cock trailing up the path that separated his butt-cheeks. The feel of the hard rod grazing against his opening was wonderful. He knew what he wanted. "Fuck me, Jim. Let me feel you inside of me."

"Shhh," Jim soothed, "today, but not right now. I will need to lubricate you and enter you slowly. Remember, you have just gotten used to my fingers inside of you." Jim felt so protective of him. He had told Pavel that he would not hurt him, and he was determined to keep that promise. Even though it would feel so good to center his cock and press into the tight heat. He knew that he had to stop before the temptation was too great. He pulled his cock away from the enticing crevice, which caused Pavel to emit a groan of lament. "Soon, Pav, very soon," Jim cajoled, as he softly squeezed a tight globe.

He rose to his knees, his thighs spread slightly, his cock beginning to soften ever so slightly. He had to get his mind off of that beautiful, virgin ass that wanted him. Easier said than done.

"Are you hungry?" Jim asked.

Pavel rolled onto his back and stared up at Jim. "Yes," he said, bringing up a hand and running his fingers up Jim's erect shaft. "But not for food. I want you."

Jim reached down and brushed the shaggy hair away from the deep brown eyes. "And I you, my love, and I you." Jim pulled his hand away. He had never called anyone that. The words shocked him, although he heard them being said in his own voice. He had to remember that this was not a change in his way of life. He had too much depending on him to give into this. No, he had to stay focused, even in this place.

Pavel knew. He saw Jim draw back as soon as the words had left his mouth. He was losing his perspective, and he had made it clear from the beginning that this was not going to be a relationship that could continue. Pavel sat up and turned toward Jim, "It's okay, I know. This is only for here. I am asking for nothing more."

Jim met the young man's eyes. He sat back on his heels. He had never asked so much and had it returned to him so openly. "Pavel...here, without the responsibly that I have on the ship, I do find myself feeling something, very different, toward you, maybe for the first time in my life. But I can't begin to fool myself anymore than I want to fool you." He paused and looked around them, "In another time, perhaps..." What was he going to say? They did not have another time.

Pavel rose to his knees in front of Jim. "Now is our time. Now is when I can feel free to tell you that I love you. If I never get this opportunity again, I will survive. And, I will treasure all that we have had, even if it were to end this minute."

Jim once again saw the man behind the youthful face. He reached for the hand that was smaller than his own, resting on the taunt muscles of the leg. He pulled him to his lips and let it all go. He would feel all that he could in these days. His focus would be only on this man. He had no control over what was happening several light years away. He had no control over what was happening inside his chest. He knew only that, right now, he loved. He kissed the lips, and felt the intensity pressing back against him.

Pavel's body, once again, melted under the touch of the golden man. He ached to feel him inside. He was so ready to be filled. When Jim released him, it was so difficult not to beg for that which he needed.

Jim rose from the mat and tossed a few more pieces of the wood on the fire to ensure its survival throughout the day. They made sure that everything was in order at the campsite, and then walked down the shore to the area that they had discovered the day before. Jim took a small pouch, which had been a pocket on the large sack that he had ripped apart, and placed his communicator, the tricorder, and the flask inside. Jim had considered moving the camp to this location, but they had the stream for fresh water, leaves for bedding, the fire established, and that place seemed special. It was the first place that they had discovered each other.

They picked more of the orange fruit and ate as they walked along the shore. It should have felt most peculiar to stroll along the water's edge naked. But, it did not occur to either to be uncomfortable. They knew that they were the only inhabitants of the planet at this time, and should something happen, they could be back at their campsite in minutes. They had a communicator with them and knew the ship would contact them well before they were in transport range.

After eating their fill of the juicy fruit, they proceeded to the beach where they had spent the day before. Jim laid the pack and some of the fruit on the shore and they proceeded with, what was now their morning ritual, of swimming to clean the stickiness from their bodies. Already, they were both beginning to bronze under the power of the sun. Jim was the first to leave the water and stretch out on the beach. Pavel followed, and lay down on his stomach next to Jim. Pavel looked at him, his butt available, his thighs slightly separated. He was ready.

Jim propped up on one elbow and began to trace the path of the droplets that clung to Pavel's skin with his fingertip. He started at the back of the neck, down across the shoulders, across the ribcage, and to the side of the hip where the drops disappeared into the sand. Then he began again. This time starting at the neck and following a straight path down the spinal column between the shoulders and to the spot where the water was puddling within the hollow at the waist, just above the rise to the round mounds. He dipped his finger into the small puddle and trickled the water toward the top of the crevice.

His finger traced the top of the crease, letting Pavel know where he was headed, but not rushing into this. Pavel responded with a soft moan and spread his legs apart a little more. Jim traced further into the crevice until he barely brushed his finger across the puckered opening. That elicited the most delicious hiss from the man underneath his touch. Trailing more water down the cleft, Jim slid one wet finger inside the tight opening only to feel Pavel press back against him, sinking the finger deep inside. Jim smiled to himself, yes, introduced with care, this man was going to love being fucked. He felt the muscles begin to relax in anticipation for more, and he obliged him with another finger pressed deep into the body. Pavel was thrusting to meet his every movement, so eager in his desire for this. Jim leaned into the soft hair at the neck and whispered, "You are so anxious. Are you wanting me inside of you?"

"Yes," Pavel raised his head and hissed.

"Do you want me to fuck you?"

Pavel raised his head and gulped deeply, trying to speak around the passion built up in his chest. "Yes...now...I need you."

Jim pressed a third finger inside the ring and felt the body open up to him. Pav was ready. He knew that he would need something more than the water to make the entry as painless as possible, but he had considered this. He removed his fingers and reached for one of the orange fruits lying beside them. He had contemplated this situation when he thought to place these beside them. He ripped open the orange globe and squeezed the thick, syrupy liquid into the crevice and worked the liquid into the opening. He then squeezed the remainder onto his cock, and coated the head until it was very slick. He moved behind Pavel and spread the thighs apart as the Russian came to his knees in readiness. Jim pressed his cockhead to the tight opening and pressed gently. The head of his organ slid in easily. The feeling of the tight sphincter gripping him was delicious. Pavel's head rolled back and he gasped as the cock invaded his virginal hole.

"It will hurt for just a moment. Do you what me to pull out?" Jim asked softly.

"No, oh God, no. It feels tight...Oh! It feels so good!" Pavel panted. "More, please, more!"

Jim slipped a little more of his cock inside, and felt the momentary contractions of the muscles grip him even tighter before relaxing again. He knew the initial pain had passed and he slowly pressed inside. He knew exactly when he had contacted the hard nodule, because Pavel pushed back against him hard, impaling himself on the rod. Jim looked down at the sight of his body joined completely with Pavel's, and he had to stay still for a moment as his body's urge to cum quieted. When he felt he could trust himself, he began to move in very short strokes in and out of the tight channel.

Pavel felt the hard rod deep within him. He was impaled on the hard cock. When Jim began to move within him, the hard organ would rub against his prostate, increasing the pleasure triple-fold. The quick pain was replaced with a need for all that Jim could give him. He met every thrust and pulled away to increase the intensity of each one. Jim was withdrawing all but the head and pounding back inside of him, each time Pavel felt his own cock on the verge of spilling over. Jim moved his hand between Pavel's legs and captured his organ, milking it with the same rhythm he was administering to his ass.

Pavel's body gave over to the need for release. He pressed against the rod and felt the convulsions deep within his groin as he came in long shuddering waves. He felt his rectum contract around the hard, thick organ and felt it when Jim's own spasms began. As he came, he felt the pulsating inside of him, and felt his insides being bathed in the warm fluid.

Jim felt the fluid as it spilled into his hand, and he spread the warm ejaculate over the head and down the shaft as he urged each spasm from Pavel's body. Finally, the last of the fluid was spent, and they collapsed onto the soft sandy beach. Jim was lying on top of Pav, tonguing and nuzzling the neck. Each breathing heavily, beginning to feel their bodies soften.

Jim eased his cock from the body, and felt Pav's rectum grip him in an effort to keep him locked inside. Pavel turned his head toward Jim, "You feel so good inside of me. I wish we could stay this way."

Jim rolled off to the side and pulled Pavel close. "Are you all right?"

"Hummm..." Pavel purred into Jim's neck. "I am wonderful!"

"That you are, Pav, that you are." Jim pulled him close and bent down and captured the soft lips.

They lay together for several minutes until Pavel had the need to release the fluid he had so willingly received. He moved into the brush to relieve the pressure and Jim dove into the lake. After Pavel returned, they swam and floated for a while. They began to search the area for additional varieties of food, and after just a brief search away from the beach, they had collected a variety of edible plants. They returned to their campsite and prepared an afternoon meal of stew, enhanced by some of the newest finds, and a salad made from several fruits. Jim took some of the leaves that seemed to be a form of tea and brewed a drink, sweetened by the juice of the orange fruit.

After eating, they sat back and sipped the tea. Pavel looked around them and sighed.

"What's on your mind?" Jim asked.

"Just look at this place. You were right; it is a Garden of Eden. Even in Russia we do not have places this beautiful."

"Umm...yes. I had heard about this planet. It was all like this until the Sundi arrived here. They just about destroyed it. Probably would have if they had not been discovered when the research team returned. I have been able to get Starfleet to agree to restore the areas that have been stripped. I think with the data that the Geology area collected, they will have a basis to rebuild it to the state that it was in before."

"Where did the research teams live when they were here?"

"About sixty kilometers from here. There is a base camp on the other side of the plateau. But, it would have meant a two-day hike in the conditions up there. With the small amount of water we had, it would have been impossible to make it. Why? You have a need for more civilized living?" Jim smiled at him.

"Absolutely not. I like feeling like we are the first people to see this place."

"We very well may be. At least since the original population died out. All of the science research has taken place in the other regions. I don't know what, if any, research has been done in this area."

"So this is our Garden of Eden."

"Yes, indeed it is." Jim's tone was softening as he saw the man seated next to him becoming aroused, again. Jim couldn't help himself; he reached over and stroked the cock to full arousal. Pavel spread his legs to give Jim full access.

Jim gently pushed Pavel to the mat and captured the hard cock in his mouth. He sucked until the tip was releasing the salty drops of pre-cum. He nuzzled the thick sack and lathed the balls with his tongue. Pavel was gripping Jim's head, but before he was pushed over the edge, reached down and pulled Jim to him. "You know what I want. I want you inside of me, again."

"Aren't you sore from this morning?"

"Not so sore that I am not wanting you to fill me."

Jim smiled and reached for the bowl of juice he had squeezed for the tea. He dipped his fingers in and Pavel started to roll onto his stomach. Jim stopped him. "This time I want to see your face." He spread the substance on the puckered anus and on his own, very ready, cock.

Pavel lifted his knees and Jim found the opening, pushing his fingers in. He was amazed that the man was not tender. All that Jim gave him, only had him wanting more. Jim went to his knees and pulled the legs to his shoulders. He spread the cheeks and pushed slowly inside. The tightness surrounded him. He slid his organ deep in until he was fully buried within Pavel. He watched the youthful face contort in ecstasy as he pumped into the heat. He reached for Pavel's hand and brought it to his own cock. Pavel opened his eyes in surprise as his hand was wrapped around his own organ.

"Please yourself, like you do when you have fantasized about this. I want to see you as you are then," Jim rasped. Passion, desire and love had created something inside of him that was beyond sex. This was a discovery of all things between them.

As Jim watched, Pavel's face turned from shock to a look of such seduction that Jim had never seen. He stroked and caressed his penis. He fingered the tiny slit and spread the pre-ejaculate around the head. He saw the fire in Pavel's eyes, a fire that burned deep within him. Jim watched the dark brown eyes dilate until there was nothing but the round black pupils. Pavel gathered some of the slick fluid from the tip and brought it to Jim's mouth. Jim sucked the finger, tasting the warm, salty liquid. He pumped deeper into the body, reaching heights of passion that he did not know existed. He pushed deeper into the channel and lay down on Pavel. His body claiming the dark chamber as his own, he pumped his seed deep inside. He felt the warm, creamy fluid splash against their abdomens as Pavel released his ejaculate between them.

"Pav," he moaned, "Oh God, Pav. I do love you so." He heard the words as they came from him, but this time it was right. Yes, he did love this man.

"Yes, Jim. I love you, too," Pavel whispered. It was the moment Pavel would remember as all of his fantasies coming true.

There were certain days that stood out as perfection. This would be remembered as one of those days. And, wrapped together, their second day on the planet ended.

Their third day was spent exploring all ways to please each other. They made love in every conceivable way and in most places that they had explored together. Even the food they ate was eaten from the fingers of the other, licking and sucking each digit until it was clean. Jim discovered on this third day, that Pavel was as good at fucking him as he was at being fucked. Jim mused that for someone just introduced to a male relationship, Pavel certainly had no inhibitions regarding the methods. They were completely at ease with each other. They touched the other whenever, and wherever, they wished and knew the touch would be responded to very favorably. They savored the taste of each other's kisses, and learned each other's bodies as well as they knew their own. It was, in ever sense of the word, a day spent in paradise. That evening they held each other, sated and happy, ignoring that it was their last night on the planet.

It was not until dawn of the fourth day that they realized their time on this planet was over. They took their morning swim and held each other at the edge of the water. They kept the communicator close, not knowing when they would be contacted. There was a melancholy mood that began to envelope them. Pavel sat on the beach, Jim stretched out beside him.

"Jim, I know that this is the end of our time together. I just want to tell you how much this has meant to me."

"Pav, I do love you. I have a duty to the ship, but I don't know how I can just let you go."

Pavel looked toward Jim. "I love you, too. It will never be the same as it has been here. You were right when you said that ship and crew is your first love. I will never want to be in a position of making you choose because I would be afraid of your choice."

"You know that when I see you sitting at the navigator console, or standing at the science station, that I will always picture you here."

"And when you look at me, I will always see you as you were when you were making love to me. I have never seen such a look directed at me before. I don't know that I will ever want another to look at me that way again. It would always be you there with me."

Pavel bent toward Jim, and their lips touched. Their kiss deepened into one that would have led to much more, but the communicator sounded.

They parted and Jim took a deep breath. He reached for the communicator and before he popped it open, he looked once more toward Pavel. Their last moment of aloneness. He sprung open the box, "Kirk, here."

"Captain, the ion storm has passed. We are entering into orbit around the planet. We will be able to retrieve you within the hour," Spock's voice boomed clearly over the communicator.

"Very well, Mr. Spock. What is the damage report?"

"The impact on the ship was minor. Mr. Scott advises me that everything is back in working order and has checked out. Have you survived well?"

"Very well, Mr. Spock. Let me know when you are ready for beam-up and I will key in the coordinates."

"Very well, Captain. According to our latest calculations, I should be notifying you in next forty-seven minutes."

"Fine, Spock. Kirk out."

They walked quickly back to the campsite and donned the clothes that had not been worn in more than three days. They poured water over the smoldering embers of the campfire and gathered their belongings. Jim had collected some of the native vegetation and he wrapped it in the remnants of the sack that they had used as a blanket. They did a brief sweep of the area to make sure their presence was as minimal as possible. Chekov flung the stones that had comprised the fire site into the wooded area and Jim took a stick and spread the leaves that had been their bed. Satisfied that they had left little indication of their brief stay, they waited for the signal.

Within minutes they were standing on the transporter pad on the ship. Bones was there, waiting on them and demanding that their first stop, after decontamination, was the sickbay. Jim protested, but McCoy advised him in no uncertain terms that this was not a point of contention. He had the Starfleet manuals on his side, so Jim relented.

When Jim got to sickbay, Pavel, bare-chested, was already laid out on a bio-bed and Bones was going over him with a fine-toothed comb. Jim stood at the door and started inside, but seeing Pavel he felt something stab at his insides and decided a hasty exit would be the best course of action. "Bones, I am fine. I am going to head to my quarters for a shower and then check out the bridge," he called toward the direction of the doctor.

"Hold it right there! You're not going anywhere till I say so. Just wait in my office, I'll get to you as soon as I can."

Jim shook his head in frustration and headed into McCoy's office. He sat on the edge of the desk for several minutes, looking first at the plaques on the wall, then at the chips on the desk, and finally at the cabinet in the corner. He spied the bottle that Bones used for 'medicinal purposes,' and he opened the cabinet, grabbed the bottle and a glass, and poured a small amount of the liquid for himself.

Just as he was tossing the brown liquid down his throat, a voice came from behind him. "That's not going to cure what ails you, but I guess it's a start." Leonard keyed the door to his office to close and Jim knew he was not going to escape quickly.

Jim attempted to muffle a cough from the potent liquid that was burning his throat, but did not succeed. "There's nothing ailing me, doctor. Except that I am being held hostage, that is."

"That bruise on your head tells me different, and the fact that you couldn't walk into the same room with our Ensign Chekov gives me some pretty good clues, as well. The fact that the boy has had sex, and a lot of it, judging by his hormone imbalance, tells me even more. You wanna start explaining just what went on down there?"

"On the record, I have nothing to say, except that I bruised my head when I was repelling down a cliff."

"Jim, you know dammed well that what we say in this office, or any other place, is off the record. I know what you had been feeling toward Chekov long before this. I know that he has newly developed fissures around his anus that are very tiny, and would be much worse had someone not used great care to keep from hurting him. I gotta assume that you two did something besides go on nature walks while you were stranded."

"Oh, we did that, too."

"Dammit, Jim! Why are you being so evasive?"

"Bones, I know you are wanting all of the details, but to tell you the truth, I don't know how to explain what went on. I do know that he has wanted me as badly as I've wanted him, but it went far beyond that. Hell, we found something down there that I never thought I could be a part of. But that time has passed. I have to get on with the business of running this ship."

"Jim, is this going to affect your ability to work with him?"

Jim looked sharply at Leonard, "Does your relationship with Spock affect your being able to work with him?"

"Jim, Spock is not under my command, and you know it."

"No, it's not going to interfere with my ability to work with him. And by the way, your and Spock's little episode in the back exam room did not go unnoticed."

McCoy looked up in stunned silence. He tried to form words, but had lost the ability of speech.

Jim jumped down from the corner of the desk, opened the door and proceeded to the exam room. "Shall we get this over with, Doctor?" He called to Leonard, who had still not moved from the spot in his office.

Jim stripped off his shirt and sat on the bio-bed, and wondered if it was just his imagination that it was still warm from Pavel's body. McCoy followed quickly and was finally able to ask in a low whisper, "You mean that he really did see us? What the hell was he doing down there?"

"He was trying to find someone to render medical attention. When he opened the door and heard the two of you going at it, he thought he would just wait until the argument was over before interrupting. It seems that your argument turned into something else very quickly."

McCoy took the scanner and ran it over the bruise and proceeded to the rest of Jim. "Dammit! Jim I'm really sorry."

"Bones, let's face it, you two have got to be a lot more careful about things like that. But I gotta say, it was a hell of an inspiration."

"Well, as far as I can see, you're gonna live. The bruise is healing nicely, and you have had a concussion. Have you had any problems with nausea or dizziness?"

"The first night, but nothing since."

"Well, I don't see anything serious. I have stimulated the blood flow, so it should be gone by tomorrow, and you have some vitamin deficiencies that I will give you a supplement for. Generally speaking, you seem to be in great shape. Your stress levels are definitely below your norm, and I'm beginning to understand why." He pulled the waistband of the trousers down slightly over one hip. He looked around to make sure they were still alone. Then he continued very softly, "I have to know, both of you have quite a tan, all over. Did you wear clothes at all while you were there?"

"Now Bones, everyone knows that there were no clothes in the Garden of Eden!" Jim winked and jumped off of the table and put on his black T-shirt. He tossed the gold uniform shirt over his shoulder and walked out.

Showered and changed, Jim felt renewed. He bounded onto the bridge with an energy that he had not felt in a long time. The bridge crew greeted him with a hardy round of "Welcome back, Captain," or "Captain, It's good to see you!" He was always greeted warmly after an absence. Spock was an excellent officer, and Jim had complete faith in his abilities as Commander, but his lack of interpersonal skills was well known. He allowed for nothing beyond the realm of the required duty when he was in command, and expected the crew to comply in a totally efficient manner. And then Spock had to nerve to rake him over the coals if he was ever out of sorts! This was the best crew in the Fleet, and Jim had tried to stress to Spock that he did not need to keep such tight reigns on them when he had the command. But, Spock was Spock, and Jim had given up on trying to change his methods. After all, it did alleviate all worries when he was away, and it made his homecomings all that much more appreciated.

His eyes fell to the navigator's position and, for just the briefest of moments, their eyes met. Jim had not realized how much the sun had deepened the color of their skin until he saw the bronze face look toward him. Obviously it was not a fact that went unnoticed by the rest of the crew. Eyes kept falling between the two men, and Sulu, who could not keep quiet a moment longer, leaned toward Chekov and said, "The sun must have been quite intense. Did you have to stay in the desert region the entire time?"

Jim did not look toward them, instead concentrating on the repair log that Scotty had handed him. He heard Pavel say, "No, we actually found a nicer area with a lake and vegetation to eat. It was very beautiful. It reminded me of Russia!"

There were good-humored moans let out from every station. Even Jim found himself raising his head and smiling at the Ensign. Pavel looked around at the stations, smiling that smile that all had come to know so well, and when he looked at Jim, the smile softened. What had been on the planet was over. Now their lives would, must, go on as they had before. They both knew it was so.

The routine became normal for the next days. As far as Jim could tell, Bones had not shared the information regarding Chekov and the sickbay with Spock. And Jim had decided not to press the issue. He was certain that Bones would not allow such a lapse in their relationship happen again. As far as the duty stations, he had almost gotten to the point where his chest did not pound every time his eyes met those of his Navigator. At least he had tried to convince himself that this reaction was happening less often.

One week after their return, Bones had asked him to join Spock and himself for dinner. Jim declined the offer, as he had done every evening since returning to the ship, on the guise that there was too much to be done, and he would grab something later. That evening, Jim was seated at the computer in his quarters. There was much to catch up on, reports to be made, facts to be omitted. The door signal chimed, he responded, "Enter."

The door slid open to reveal Spock. It was unusual for him to use the main entrance, much less signal his arrival. "Spock! What are you doing? It's been a long time since we did away with the closed door policy between us."

Spock stepped in, the door closing behind him. "I have just come from the evening meal with Leonard. He has confided in me that there was an incident that was observed."

"Ah--I have to assume he has told you about your visitor in the sickbay."

"He has."

"And you have come here...?"

"To apologize, Captain. I should not have allowed the incident to proceed as it did. I accept the responsibility."

"I can assure you, Spock, that I'm not going to file an incident report. It could have been someone that spread the word through the ship, but you have no worries of that type with Chekov. I can assure you, he is the soul of discretion."

"How can you be so certain of this fact?"

"Have you talked to Bones about our stay on the planet?"

"Nothing other than he thinks that I should avail myself to you in case there are issues that you wish to discuss."

"Spock, please sit down. There are issues that I do need to talk to someone, to you, about and I need to talk to my friend, not an officer."

Spock sat in the seat facing Kirk. "Jim, I am first and foremost your friend, as you have been mine. You know that I will listen to anything you have to say, and offer advice if you request it."

Jim smiled and turned in his seat to face Spock head-on. He placed his forearms on his thighs and clamped his hands together. Alternately crossing his thumbs over each other repeatedly, he began telling Spock of their time on the planet, less the most graphic details. Slowly at first, but before he was finished, the words were coming out in a rush. All of the emotions that he had been trying to suppress over the last week were now exposed once more. He finished when he told Spock of the discussion he had had with McCoy in the sickbay. His eyes rose from his hands to Spock's eyes. He saw the recognition in Spock's eyes, the knowledge of the captain's vulnerability and softness that only he and McCoy were privileged to see. "Well?" Jim whispered.

"Jim, you have desired him for the last four months, and evidently the feelings were returned. I do not understand why you feel that the relationship cannot continue now that you are back on the ship."

"I think that would be obvious. He is under my command. It could make for some very sticky situations."

"It seems that sticky situations are something that the two of you have become quite used to," Spock said in all seriousness, but the upswept eyebrow gave him away. 'My God! Spock is making a sexual innuendo!' Jim thought to himself. Well, this was a first!

"Spock! I'm surprised at you! But you know exactly what I mean. I cannot be seen as someone who takes their subordinates to bed."

"Jim, Leonard and myself are under your command. And, if you do not mind my pointing this out, we have taken each other to bed on many occasions. I do not see the difference."

"True, that you are both under my command, but you are both senior officers. You are as close to my equal as it gets onboard one of these birds."

"I believe that the rank is not your true concern. If that were so, then I would have to say you are showing signs of elitism."

"Spock, you know dammed well that I am not an elitist. I wouldn't care if he was a yeoman, I would still have strong feelings toward him."

"And therein lies the problem." "What do you mean?"

"Pavel Chekov has stirred the emotions in you that you felt could not be touched. Jim, the difference in the relationship that you have with McCoy and myself and the one you are feeling with Chekov has less to do with gratification, and more to do with love."

"That's ridiculous! I love you and McCoy. You both know that."

"Yes, but this is different. It is deeper, more invasive, than the feelings you have for either of us. Jim, it is an emotion that I have come to know well. You are in love with your navigator."

Jim looked to Spock to deny this, but he smiled at his friend. Yes, since Spock and McCoy had become lovers, Spock had come to know this feeling. And, to debate facts with this brilliant Vulcan was useless. Especially when he was, once again, right.

"Spock, how do I ask him to compete for my attention with this ship? How would that be fair to him? How do I know if he would even consider such an arrangement?"

"It would be my advice that you ask him."

"This could get difficult."

"Most often, the paths that are worthy are often beset with dangers."

"Vulcan logic?"

"No, I believe that is called southern Georgia philosophy. Unfortunately, McCoy's proverbs seem to be affecting me."

He looked at the man who was his friend first, and occasionally his lover. Jim felt the need to tell this man how much he meant to him. He leaned forward and placed his hand on the side of the rugged face. He leaned in and brushed his lips to the much warmer ones. "Thank you. I do love you, you know. I don't know what I would do without you at my side."

Spock nodded briefly, and raked his hands through the slightly sun-bleached hair. Their lips met for a moment longer and they released each other. "Jim, go to him. If you needed to sort through this, then he must have the same needs, and evidently will speak to no one about this."

Jim nodded. Yes, he would go to him. They stood and walked to the door. Spock turned and said, "We will be in Leonard's cabin this evening, should you need us."

"Thank you," Jim whispered. The door opened and they headed out in different directions. Jim felt his heart pounding in his throat by the time he reached Pavel's door. It took him a moment, and a deep breath, before he palmed the signal. The door slid open to reveal Pavel standing inside, still wearing his uniform.

"Jim!" Pavel whispered, his face melting into that illuminating smile. Jim took a step forward and the door slid closed behind him.

"Jim!--I mean Captain!" Pavel was taken by total surprise. He managed to recover from the shock of the moment. "What are you doing here?"

Kirk stepped inside and let the door close behind him. It was all he could do to refrain from scooping the man up and ravishing him. "Pav, we have to talk. We must work this out, this thing between us."

"But I have done nothing to encourage it to continue. We decided..."

"No, I decided. I decided that this ship was all that mattered and I could not share myself with anyone else. I was mistaken. That makes two mistakes that I have made since we were stranded. The first was stepping out on that ledge and almost killing both of us. The second was thinking that once we were back onboard, that I could forget what you had begun to mean to me. I was a wrong on both occasions. But now I want to hear what your decision would be. Could you accept that I must run this ship, and all that that implies, and still want us to continue?"

"I have heard that loving the Captain of a starship is a fool's choice. However, that has not kept me from loving you. It would be my decision that we accept each other for who we are, and what we must do, and hold each other as much as possible in between."

Jim walked to the man and swept him into his arms. Their lips had been parted for only seven days, but there was a need and urgency that felt as if it had been untold time since they had been together. Breaths were quick and deep. Tongues dipped deep into the moisture that they shared. Nipples were taunt and pebble-like as the torsos pressed together. Groins hardened and surged toward each other. Hands roamed frantically trying to feel everywhere at once. Clothes were pulled at and tossed aside. Boots were kicked off and flung out of the way. Perspiration moistened each body as the heat built between them. Fluid slickened their scrotums and abdomens as thrusting organs ground together, trying to find relief.

"Pav, do you have any idea what you do to me?" Jim rasped. "God, I have missed you. Have wanted you so much."

Pavel's breath caught and his chest heaved in a sob. His lips fell to the sleek, golden neck, his arms tightening around his lover. "Yes, I have missed you, too. It has been so hard to feel you behind me and not let you know how much I want to be with you."

Jim pulled away and looked into the chocolate brown eyes. He captured the full, sweet mouth with his own. Jim's hands found the crevice between the two hard mounds. His fingers slid between them and separated them, and as his mouth once more claimed this man, his fingertips slid inside the opening. Pavel pressed harder against him. "Jim, yes! Stretch me, make me ready for you," he panted. Jim pressed in deeper, opening the channel that he longed to enter.

"Do you have any lubricant?"

"There, in the bedside cabinet," Pavel indicated the chest next to his bed.

Jim quickly retrieved it and returned to the man who had turned and had his hands pressed against the bulkhead. Jim squeezed a generous amount onto his fingers and found the precious opening. He nuzzled Pavel's damp neck as he pushed his fingers past the tight ring. He pulled his fingers out and thrust in again, deeper.

When he felt the tight passage relax against him, he pulled his fingers free and centered his cock. He pressed against the taut orifice and felt his cock push past the firm ring of muscle. He eased his organ up the channel until he was fully encased. Pavel threw his head back and, with a moan, pressed his body against Jim's. He thrust his hips back against the rod inside of him each time Jim pulled out and pushed back inside. Jim reached around and grasped Pavel's hard penis and pumped it as he plunged inside over and over again. He felt the contractions around his cock and felt the creamy fluid shoot into his hand. He massaged the cock and let the contraction bring him over. "Pav..." he moaned. He pushed in as deeply as he could and came in throbbing waves. That night they lay together on Pavel's bunk. In nights to come, they would spend many nights in Jim's cabin.

***

The amount of time they had begun to spend together, made it fairly obvious what was going on, at least to the command level personnel. Jim had made it clear that he would not deny his choice for a personal relationship, but neither would he announce it. He allowed his crew their privacy regarding their choice of bedmates, and he hoped they would show him the same courtesy. Pavel, also, was grateful for the lack of questions. However, one evening when Jim was detained due to a problem with the warp drive, Pavel decided to seek out Sulu to join him for dinner. They had not been together, except in the line of duty for weeks, and Pavel missed his company. He buzzed Hikaru's cabin and they agreed to meet at twenty-one hundred after Hik had finished a report for the Captain. Pavel showered and changed into civvies and glanced over the latest on the ship's bulletin board. Nothing exciting going on, at least nothing that was bulletin board worthy. He saw the time to meet his friend was close. On impulse, he keyed the mess to see if there was a private dining room available. There was, so he reserved it. He wasn't sure why he felt the privacy was necessary, but something told him Hik would be full of questions. He was right.

He stood in the corridor and when the lift opened, and Sulu stepped out, he advised him that he had Dining Room 3 reserved. "Hey, good idea. There are some things that I want to talk to you about, and I don't necessarily want to be overheard."

"Sounds important." They stepped into the room and keyed their orders, and then Pavel continued. "What's been going on with you lately?"

"I have been working with Scotty to design a new rudder control that could be deployed in case of emergencies. That is the report that I had to finish before I could meet you. We are supposed to present it to the Captain tomorrow. I have seen Lieutenant Davenport a couple of times. Do you know her? The brunette in life sciences?" Pavel nodded that he knew exactly who Sulu was speaking of. Weeks ago, the same person had been quite appealing to Pavel, but that had recently changed. "Other than that, there's nothing terribly exciting going on. What about you?"

"Me? Nothing nearly as interesting as what it sounds like you are involved in. I have been taking the computer courses to get certified for the science station, but I have been working that area with Mr. Spock, and after his training, the exams are a breeze. Quite elementary, actually. I should have them finished by the end of the month."

"I'm impressed! That's a two year certification and you have completed it in seven months?"

"Like I say, working with Mr. Spock gives you a crash course. He expects you to catch it the first time around. It is not that he berates you, or anything, but he can give you one of 'those looks' if he has to repeat himself."

Hikaru's tone softened a bit as he asked, "What else is going on, Pav?"

"What do you mean? Nothing else is going on."

"Pav, it seems the word is out that you have spent several nights in the Captain's quarters. You want to tell me that nothing is going on?"

Chekov stared at his companion, his friend. Jim had said they were not going to hide their relationship. Besides, Hik was the one person on this ship that he could confide in and know it would go no further. "It sounds like you already know. It's not a secret, but I don't want to have to discuss this with anyone else. Can I confide in you?"

"Pavel, I am your friend in the truest sense of the word. I won't discuss this with anyone. But I have to tell you that it worries me. James Kirk is the best captain in the Fleet, and I would defend any decision he makes with my life, but he is not known for long-term relationships. I don't wish to see you become one of the many who has been destroyed in his wake."

"Thank you, but I really am stronger than you give me credit for. I only know that what we have together, right now, is beyond anything that either of us have been willing to give to anyone else."

"Pav, you know very well the old adage about falling in love with the Captain of a starship. Unless you have planetary bodies floating around you, it is a fool's mission. They will always choose the heavens over a human."

"Hik, I know all of the reasons why I shouldn't, but what choice do I have? I have got to see this through, wherever it leads."

"I really do wish you the best. Hell, I hope this is his answer, as well. God knows he has needed someone who can center him. Who knows, it just may be in the package of a scrawny Russian!" Sulu teased.

"Scrawny Russian! I would say he decided to go for the best! You got to admit, he has great taste!"

"Do you mean that he has great taste, or that he tastes great?"

"Hik! Geeze! But, now that you ask, -- I think both!"

They laughed together as they had not had the chance to do lately. Their meal was delivered, and in the middle of the entree, Pavel chuckled.

"Now what?" Sulu put down his fork and asked.

"I was thinking of the term you used, 'Package.' That is how he and Scott referred to me the day I reported. That seems so long ago." Pavel's chuckle had turned to a smile that hid nothing.

Sulu watched the man. Someday, he hoped to have such a smile on his face about someone special. But that kind of smile, that kind of joy, is hard to find. Trying to bring Pavel back to the present, he said, "Hell, it was ages ago! We have faced down that dammed doomsday machine, encountered Harcort Fenton Mudd, gone through the murder of the Tellarite, stumbled upon Jack the Ripper, and been infested with tribbles! Speaking of which, I have to tell you, the whole tribble mess tipped me off to the two of you."

"Why is that? You had been reassigned to beta shift for that mission."

"Well, the incident with the Klingon, Korax, for one thing. Don't think I didn't hear how you tried to jump him for insulting the Captain."

"He called Jim a swaggering, overbearing, tin-plated dictator with delusions of godhood! There is no way I could stand for that! I don't think anyone on the ship would!"

"No one else on the ship would have almost started an intergalactic war over it! I have never heard of someone so willing to get himself killed as you were. You jumped in and were ready to take on that son-of-a-bitch to defend the Captain's honor."

"Well, Scotty kept me from doing anything about it. But when they called the Enterprise a garbage scowl, well, that did it for him."

"I know Scotty was confined to quarters, but you got off without so much as a hard look!"

"Oh, in the privacy of his cabin he came down on me pretty hard." Pavel remembered that evening, and a shudder passed across his shoulders.

When he had gone to Jim's cabin shortly after his run in with Korax, Pavel was very ready for some serious lip time. Their moments together had been interrupted repeatedly in the past weeks. When the cabin door closed behind him, he heard the shower running, so he stripped off his clothes and slipped into the hot steam behind Jim. Wrapping his arms around him he spooned his body to the taller form. His erection was already evident as he pressed it to the hard, golden mounds. As quickly as he had pressed against him, Jim turned in his arms, grabbed his biceps and thrown him up against the side of the stall and held him there tightly. A look of pure fury was on Jim's face. "If you EVER do anything as foolish as try to take apart someone like Korax again, I swear I will have you busted back to records clerk! Is that understood!?"

Pavel was so stunned he couldn't answer. He just stood there with his mouth gaping open. Jim continued screaming at him. "He could have killed you! Do you understand that!? And for what? What would have happened if Scotty hadn't been there to hold you back? Not that he did such a stellar job of defusing the situation, but he probably saved your life! God-dammit! I do not want to have to arrange your funeral! Not over some stupid act like this!"

Pavel was unsure if the pounding in his chest had been more from his own heart, or from Jim's chest pressed against him. But from either source, it felt like a base drum was being beaten rapidly against his torso. The grip on his arms relaxed slightly, as did the look on Jim's face. "Pav, the business we are in is dangerous. The risk of death is significant. I know that any one of us can be killed on these missions, but to lose you, over something that could be avoided, is not something that I am willing to risk."

Finally Pavel had been able to speak. "Jim, I'm sorry. I was just so mad."

"You are going to have to keep your temper in check. I can't abide by an officer who is unable to walk away from a volatile situation."

Pavel thought to himself that the last person to walk away from any situation was James Kirk, but now was not the time to bring that up. "Yes, sir," was all he had said.

Jim leaned into him and captured his mouth with as much force as he had thrown him against the wall. The tongue had forced past his lips and assaulted every ridge inside his mouth. Jim pressed his body even tighter to Pavel's, the hard erection pumping roughly into his scrotum. Pavel's own erection had abated when Jim had pushed him against the wall and began to berate him, and now it felt like he couldn't catch up. He felt overwhelmed, like he had no part in the act that was taking place. He had made love to this man many times, but never felt this kind of forcefulness. Part of him found it to be very erotic, but another part felt something that he had never thought to feel with this man, fear. Jim reached toward a button on the wall and pressed it. A stream of warm oil was released into his hand. He brought his hand to his hard cock and coated it. The oil soaked hand reached down and took Pavel's thigh and brought it up, wrapping it around Jim's hip.

As the swollen cockhead found his entrance, Pavel breathed, "Wait!"

Jim's lips went to his ear and whispered, roughly, "Not this time." He pushed against Pavel's opening and when the engorged organ slid inside of him, he felt the pain of the invasion. He thought he cried out, but the mouth that was now covering his probably muffled it. Deeper and deeper the hard cock drove into him. Pumping inside of him with a force he had never felt. An oiled hand moved between them and began massaging his half-erect cock until they were moving together in unison. Pavel felt Jim begin to throb inside of him, felt the hot fluid fill him. Heard Jim cry out as he came in shuddering waves of unleashed emotions. Jim pulled out and went to his knees. The sudden loss of support would have caused Pavel to fall to the floor, but Jim caught him and held him securely to the wall. The hands captured his nipples and rolled them between his thumb and fingers until they were rock hard. The hot mouth captured him and sucked him until he felt himself explode. Jim drank deeply until all of the seed had been milked from him.

Then, in a most tender way, Jim had taken a cloth and bathed him head to toe, rinsed them both, and wrapped a towel around him as they exited the shower. Pavel remembered shaking as if he were chilled, but it was from something much more than cold that caused him to shiver. Jim had led them to his bed and wrapped his arms around his lover. And, in a deep voice whispered, "I have lost so many. I will not, cannot, lose you."

Suddenly he was drawn back to the conversation, Sulu was still talking about the incident. "And, if it had been anyone else that was responsible for bringing those dammed creatures onboard, Kirk would have had them busted down to latrine officer. But when he realized it was you, all he said was "Get these tribbles off of the bridge." I have seen James Kirk blow his stack, and I was prepared for a serious explosion. But you looked at him with the big browns, and he melted. Hell, you even had him to the point that he was stroking the things! James Kirk, stroking a tribble? There was something very peculiar about that whole thing! Nobody, I tell you, nobody, would have gotten off as easy as you did."

"Now wait just a minute! It was Nyota who brought the first one onboard! I didn't do anything!"

"No, you just stood right beside her and encouraged her to accept it! Not much, huh? "

"Jesus! Do you remember the look he gave me when the bridge became invaded? I was sitting at my position and tribbles were everywhere. There were several crawling along the top of the console and I was holding one and he came by me and took it out of my hands. God, I can still remember that look."

"Yeah, I had just come on the bridge to assume the watch. I remember you looking up at him and he began to pet the thing. Hell, the way he stroked it and looked at you, Pav, it gave me a god-dammed hard-on! I had heard the rumors, but at that very moment, I knew."

"Yeah, well, if it's any consolation, it had the same effect on me." They looked at each other and started laughing all over again.

***

Over the next years, there would be more unusual life forms, more life and death situations, several circumstances when either Jim or Pavel was feared dead, and more than a few occurrences when one or the other would find comfort in the arms of someone else. Their relationship was not a smooth one. Apprehension regarding their future collided frequently with their realization of the present.

Jim would occasionally find himself back in the bed of his closest friends. It was a relationship that Jim believed was based on time and familiarity that kept him needing that particular contact. The volatility that seemed to rock the relationship between McCoy and Spock outside of their cabins, began to find its way into their bedroom, as well. The first of several major rifts between them occurred when the Enterprise found itself encased within a giant amoeba. Due to the gravity of the situation, it was decided that someone would need to board a shuttlecraft and attempt to gain additional information from within the life form. Both McCoy and Spock requested to be allowed to enter the amoeba. Jim knew that the mission held an overwhelming degree of risk, and would probably become a suicide mission. He also knew that there were only two onboard who were qualified to take the necessary readings. He agonized over which of his friends to send to their death. Finally, after accepting the reality of the situation, he knew the answer. One was the most qualified, and had the greatest chance a survival long enough to relay the needed information to the ship. When there was no additional contact from the craft, Jim felt certain that Spock was dead.

A pain gripped his chest, and he saw the hurt in Bones' face. This was the reason McCoy had wanted to go, he did not want to face the loss of his lover. Jim now understood why Spock refused to bond with McCoy while they were still attached to Starfleet. McCoy had been adamant in these last months that they should go ahead with the bonding ceremony. Spock repeatedly refused the request. He made it clear that he would not form a bond with Leonard as long as they served in the fleet. When this mission was over, or when they both decided to pursue a more sedate life, then the bond would be made. Jim wanted to go to Bones, offer words of comfort, but he could not. Kirk was too surprised by his own feelings. Spock had been feared dead before, there was always the pain of a loss of someone closer than a brother, but this time it was different. An emptiness gripped him that was far beyond any feeling he had had before. He fought to keep his mind on the issue at hand.

The anti-matter pods were released into the nucleus and they only had moments to escape. He ordered the ship to back away from the sight of deployment. Everyone on the bridge held their breath as the ship began moving away from the creature's center. Then Pavel announced that there was a metal structure located outside the ship. "Put a tractor beam on that craft," he ordered.

"But, sir, there is not time," Scotty protested.

"I want two tractor beams locked onto that shuttlecraft!" He demanded. He knew time was precious, but so was the crewman in that vessel. He was not going to leave him.

The explosion rocked the ship. The entity was destroyed, but where was the shuttlecraft? Did he hear someone say that it was still with them? Yes! Spock's voice boomed across the com-link. "Requesting permission to come aboard," came the voice that caused relief to flood Jim's body. He gripped the arm of the command chair.

"Shuttlecraft onboard, shuttle bay doors closed," he was advised. He breathed a breath of relief and felt the smile caress his lips. He looked to where Bones had been standing. He was not there. He looked to the lift and saw Bones standing inside, the doors closing, the blue eyes cutting through him. Jim wanted to rush to the shuttle bay, but he realized that that was not his place. Spock and Bones needed time alone, and the understanding of that seemed to rip something inside of Jim's soul.

At the end of shift he started to ask Pavel to join him in his cabin for the evening, but stopped. He needed to talk with Spock about the entity and there were reports to Starfleet that needed to be filed quickly, on the outside chance that there were more of those things floating around out there. He approached Pavel in the corridor to explain why they should sleep separately tonight, although recently, sleeping separately seemed to be the norm, not the exception.

Before he could say anything, Pavel whispered discretely, "Jim, I am going to stay in my own cabin tonight. There is something that has come up, and, well, I hope you understand."

Jim smiled; he certainly did not expect Pavel to remain exclusive, especially considering his relationship with McCoy and Spock, not to mention the occasional female who crossed his path. And, even though Pavel had certainly become quite proficient as a homoerotic lover, it had not stemmed his desire for the occasional female encounter. That was something that Jim could relate to. "Let me guess, Ensign Saunders, again?"

"Now, Captain! Do I expect you to kiss and tell?" Pavel smiled and rolled his eyes toward Jim. Of course that was exactly what he expected. Many of their lovemaking sessions started when one began telling the other of the intricate details of one of their romantic encounters.

"Yes, Ensign, that is exactly what you expect." Jim looked around at the deserted corridor as he took a finger and pressed it gently against Pavel's lips. That mouth could do things to him that made him scream out in pleasure. It was all he could do to keep from capturing it right here in the hallway. "I expect a full report, Ensign."

"Aye, aye, Sir!" Pavel whispered seductively. Jim moaned slightly and berated himself for not laying claim to Pavel earlier.

Jim went to the dining hall, expecting to meet up with McCoy and Spock, but when he found that they had not come to the mess hall to eat, he knew that they were having a hell of a reunion. He ordered his meal to be sent to his quarters and decided to give them some additional time before getting Spock's report. There was plenty of work to do other than Spock's account.

Three hours later, he had entered his part of the report into the log. All that was needed was Spock's account and he could forward it on. Not that it would be expected for several days, but the way they had been working lately, in a few days they would probably be involved in the middle of some new emergency. He figured at best, the two men had had time to satisfy every urge that they could imagine, and would not mind being interrupted. He tapped on the adjoining door and proceeded inside to Spock's cabin. He had expected to see them lying together in the bunk, but instead, Spock was in his meditation robe and was rising from the mat in front of the firepot.

"Spock, I am sorry. I did not mean to interrupt your meditation. I will come back later."

"Jim, you are not interrupting me. Please, come in."

Jim stepped inside and closed the door behind him. "I thought Bones would be here."

"Leonard has decided to remain in his cabin this evening."

"But he has been here, right?"

"He has not. I have not seen him since my return to the ship. I contacted him but he does not wish to see me at this time. It is my assessment that he is feeling betrayed."

"For what? The mission today?"

"I cannot say with certainty since he has not felt the need to open up to me. However, I do believe that my statement that I was the most qualified of the two of us has caused some hurt feelings."

"Spock, it was my decision to send you. If he is pissed at anyone, it should be me."

"I will attempt to reconcile this matter with him tomorrow. For now I will allow him the privacy he requests."

"Spock, about today, I cannot tell you how sorry I am that I had to send you out there."

"Jim, it is my job. It is what I have been trained to do. Your job is to protect this ship and its crew in the best way you can. You were doing your job."

"That still didn't keep it from hurting like hell when I thought you had been killed. I think I realized today why you have been reticent in your decision to form a permanent bond with Leonard. It's hard enough when you feel you have lost someone so close to you, but to lose your bondmate..."

"...Would be life threatening for the one left behind."

"Life threatening? Seriously? Have you explained this to Bones?"

"Not in those exact words."

"Well I think you should. I don't believe he realizes how serious it could be."

"I agree that there are many issues that we need to address. Perhaps you are correct that I should explain this aspect in more detail."

Jim watched the fluid movements of the robe as Spock moved about the room. It always took Jim by surprise at the gracefulness of this man. But tonight it was different. Jim was sure it was the relief that he still had this man next to him on the bridge, and here in their cabins, and yes, even as a sexual partner. He felt the need to wrap his arms around him and assure himself that he was really still here. But McCoy was not here, and the sexual relationship that they had always included Bones. He was the one that brought the three of them together. Jim always suspected that Spock allowed that only to please Leonard.

"Would you care for tea?" Spock asked him.

"Yes, that sounds great. I have some cognac in my quarters if you are interested." It was an indulgence that the three had come to enjoy as an addition to the replicated teas that the ship supplied.

"That sounds quite pleasing. I have been cool this evening. And," he walked to his desk and picked up a chip, "I believe that you will be needing this. It is my report."

As Spock prepared the tea, Jim stepped into his cabin, laid the chip beside his computer and retrieved the bottle of cognac. Spock may be cool, but the heat in the adjoining cabin was quite warm for Jim, so he slipped off his uniform shirt and reentered the cabin wearing only his trousers and T-shirt.

Spock was setting the cups on the small table in front of the sofa when Jim came back. Jim lifted the stopper from the decanter and poured a small amount of the aromatic liquid into each cup. They each sipped the hot liquid, and sat down on the couch facing each other. Each with a leg tucked beneath them, but Jim noticed that Spock still seemed to do this with so much more style than he. Compared to Spock, he had just plopped into the seat. The robe seemed to flair around Spock like royalty. Jim sat his cup back on the table and laid an arm on the back of the couch. Spock sipped more of the tea before setting his cup down and steepling his fingers together in his lap.

"Spock, I have to know, does that come naturally, or is it something you were trained to do?"

"Of what are you speaking?"

"The way you steeple your fingers together."

"Vulcan's are trained to this pose. It shows that the hands hide nothing and it is non-threatening. Does it bother you?"

"No, not at all. Actually, I find it reassuring. Do I mind if I tell you that you have beautiful hands?"

"I would not mind such a statement if you would allow me to tell you all that I find pleasing about you."

"Spock, I didn't say that your hands were all I found beautiful in you. It is just one of the features that I would have missed so very much if something had happened to you today." Their eyes met in a look that had never before passed between them. Jim looked away, and made a statement that he hoped would defuse the situation. "I am certain that all you find pleasing about me would have to do with my command style. That we seem to agree on."

"Jim, the list of your attributes would be lengthy, including the method in which you command this vessel, however I believe the feature I would miss most are your eyes. You have a way of looking into one's soul that is uncommon among humans."

Jim looked back toward Spock. What he read in that face told him that he had assumed incorrectly when he thought Spock only tolerated him because of McCoy. He brought the back of his hand to the side of the angular face and stroked down it with the back of his fingers. "Spock," he whispered, "I don't know what I would do if you were not with me."

Spock reached for the hand, encircling it with his long, delicate fingers, and brought it to his mouth. He kissed the fingertips and pulled Jim to him. Their mouths met and as their lips touched, a shock of emotional electricity jumped between them. Again they touched, discovering what they had never known could exist between them. Arms wrapped around each other. They had had sex on many occasions, but never like this. There was no doubt between them where this had to lead. There was a heat between them tonight that they had never felt, but it was not foreign. Perhaps it had been present between them since the beginning, but never acknowledged. But tonight, it could not be denied. Their mouths explored the taste between them, hazelnut and cinnamon, copper and musk, and the sweetest hint of the cognac that sealed the flavors together.

Bodies came alive and breaths became deep. Skin flushed and hardened in sensitive areas. An urgency enveloped them compiled of need and want, lust, desire and more.

"May I?" Jim panted, as he reached for the mechanism at the shoulder.

"Yes," Spock whispered in a voice that emulated an antique razor against the strap. The depth of the voice sent a shiver of desire up Jim's spine. Jim could not get it to release and Spock reached to the clasp at the shoulder and liberated it in one, swift movement. Jim pulled it open to reveal the Vulcan's naked, aroused body beneath the soft, thick material. Jim's hand went to the engorged organ and began to massage it. He felt Spock's hand rubbing against his trapped erection. Jim stood up, unlatched his trousers and with his eyes never leaving the man seated before him, he stripped off his shirt and pants and tossed them aside. Never before had he felt so exposed to anyone.

Spock stood up, his robe slipping off of his shoulders and remaining on the couch, slid his arms around Jim, and pulled him close. Their mouths again pressed together, their breaths quick, their bodies searching for the feel of each other, as if this were their first time together. The intensity between them rose higher and higher. Mouths became hungry, hands searched and strained to touch everywhere at once, breaths were ignored until depleted lungs demanded air in large gasps, cocks wept drops of fluid, begging to be sated. "Jim," Spock moaned into the light hair, "I need you."

"Yes, and I you." Jim rasped. The heat between them threatened to incinerate their bodies. They moved to the bed and Jim lay down, Spock stretched out on top of him. First slowly, then with great urgency, they ground their organs together in the wetness of their pre-ejaculate. The intensity would have been no less for men lost in a desert and had found life-giving water. They consumed until the room surrounding them was nothing more than a dizzying blur. They touched and tested, tasted and savored, rolled and shifted, undulated against each other as they were swept fiercely down the torrent of yearning.

Mouths joined with the flavor of each on their lips. Savoring the essence of them both, mixed with the aroma of their sex, brought each again and again to astonishing arousal.

"I want to enter you," Spock breathed heavily into his ear. It was not until that moment Jim realized that Spock had never entered him. In the many times, over the past year, that the three of them had been together, it was the one thing that they had never done.

"You have never wanted to do that before."

"I wish to tonight. I want to feel myself inside of you," Spock rasped in a voice graveled by passion.

Jim pulled his knees up, surrendering this last part of himself to this man. Spock knelt between the knees and produced a container of oil, from where, Jim had no recollection, he was seeing only Spock, flushed and erect, kneeling between his thighs. Jim watched him squeeze the oil into his hand and felt the oiled fingers find his opening. Suddenly having this man's fingers stretching him felt like the most intimate moment in his life. Spock prepared the opening and then brought a slick hand to his own double-ridged, olive erection. He rose up on his knees and let Jim watch as he prepared the bulbous head to make the entry an easy one. The sight of the hand sliding up and down the hard, beautiful cock, a cock that would be inside of him in just moments, caused Jim's organ to jerk and leak droplets of fluid in anticipation. Spock, very aware of the reaction, smiled and touched a hot, slick finger to the sensitive cap to spread the droplets over Jim's cockhead. Spock grasped the thighs and rocked Jim so he could center his organ to the puckered orifice. They looked at each other, words unable to explain all that they were feeling. Spock eased the ridges inside and, when he found no resistance, slid his rod into the tight channel.

Once fully encased, Spock released the legs and they wrapped around his waist. He lay back down on Jim, and moved gently in and out of the body. Their lips brushed against each other's, then Spock captured the mouth with a forcefulness that sent tinges of electrical current throughout Jim's body. The lightly furred abdomen scraped against Jim's ultra-sensitive organ with every thrust. The hot tongue entered and claimed his mouth each time that Spock pounded into the body. Jim used his legs to force Spock in faster and faster, deeper and deeper with every stroke. It was a cavernous, bottomless swell that hit them as Spock released his seed deep inside of Jim and Jim's ejaculate gushed between them in wave after wave of pulsating convulsions.

They collapsed together, joined, gulping deep breaths into starved lungs. The distorted haziness of the spinning room around them began to steady once more. Jim felt his rectum contract when Spock's softened penis slid out of him. Not until then did Spock roll off to Jim's side, his arms still holding him. Jim rolled to his side so that they did not have to let go. The fluid coating their abdomens was warm and liquid as it dripped between them. Jim could still feel the sensation of the hot fluid that filled him. Every nerve ending in his body had been stimulated and tingled in a warmness that he had never before felt. They felt the cover beneath them becoming wet from Jim's semen, but still they did not move. "My God, Spock, what the hell was that?" Jim finally breathed.

"That was us, my t'hy'la."

"My God! Do you have this kind of sex with Bones?" Jim knew that the wonderful lovemaking session he had had with them never felt like this. This was as close to blacking out that Jim had ever experienced.

"Jim, what I have felt this evening, has never been felt with another."

Jim pulled his head back and stared into the dark brown eyes. "Spock," he whispered.

"I know these feelings, Jim" Suddenly their conversation in his cabin months ago came pouring back. He was certain that Spock was speaking of his feelings toward McCoy. He now knew what Spock was trying to tell him that night so long ago.

"Spock, why didn't you tell me?"

"As you are now, as you were discovering then, there is another who claims that part of you that loves."

"Pavel," Jim stated. Yes, there was the sprite who had claimed a part of his soul, but not the part that this man was carving out as his own. "This is impossible. Spock, I always thought you just tolerated me to please Bones. And you, you have found something with him that you have searched your life for."

"Yes, what we have found together is most satisfying. What I have come to feel for you is not more, but very different." He rolled them so he was lying on Jim, running his fingers through the light hair, his lips brushing against the cooler ones. Through a smile he said, "And tolerate thee? No, I do not tolerate thee. I crave thee."

"Why now when things are so complicated? Why didn't we find each other from the beginning?"

"Why do I find that the one being that I crave is the one being that can never give himself to me?"

"You don't know that."

"I know that it is you that my soul hungers for. It is the man that must remain dedicated to the stars. You could never give up your pursuits, and I could never ask you to do so. A bond between us would probably destroy all that is between us. If it did not, it would most likely cause the death of us."

"But, Bones."

"Leonard and I have found a common ground, one which can support a stable future. He can commit to me that which I will need and I can give him that which he has longed for."

"Do you love him, Spock?"

"Yes, and had I never found you, I would have never conceived of being able to love another. And you, you have another who claims your heart."

"I do love him. Had he not come into my life when he did, I believe this ability to love would have never been found. Spock, I have never felt with anyone what I've felt with you this evening. But I can't give him, or this, up. Not in the way that you would need me to. Your existence depends on you finding someone who will give themselves to you completely. I cannot do that with you or with anyone, including Pavel. Although tonight, I wish that I could. To be with someone that takes me to the heights that you have this evening, must be something that a person only gets a chance at once in a lifetime." Jim ran his fingers through the thick, black hair. It was all he could do to keep from throwing away everything that had brought him to this point, and give himself over completely to the man in his arms.

"Spock, once you told me to go to the one I loved and try to work things out between us. Now I am telling you, Spock, go to Leonard. Tonight. Tell him all that he needs to know. Tell him what he means to you. We get so few chances to find happiness, we that have chosen to conquer the stars, go, find your happiness."

"And your happiness, Jim?"

"Is with a certain young ensign who has an unerring ability to make me smile. It may not be the passion that we have found this evening, but it is what I need."

"And, Jim, what of this, of us?"

"We cannot allow this to happen again. The fabric that holds our lives together is delicate. You, my love, could tatter mine with very little effort. That which fires our passions, is often that which has the ability to destroy us."

"Poetry of the ancient Greeks?"

"No, just more southern Georgia philosophy. Remember, I have known Bones McCoy even longer than you have."

Spock pressed his lips to Jim's once more. Jim pressed back, and caught Spock's lower lip between his own. He sucked gently, wanting to always remember this feeling. "I do love you, you know," he whispered against the heated body. Jim felt his body begin to respond again to the sweet taste. He had to leave. If he allowed himself to give into this, he would be forever lost. He pushed Spock away and rose from the bed. He gathered his clothes and looked to the man on the bed. His words came out in breathy gasps, "Go to him. Don't let another night go by without him knowing all that you can be to him." He turned and disappeared through the door that adjoined their cabins.

Seated on the floor of the shower, his arms wrapped around his knees, Jim rocked as he fought to regain his center. The water washed over him and the small clouds of soap carried away the coppery scent. The knot in his throat kept threatening to spill tears for all that could have been, for all that could never be.

The timer on the shower sounded and the water clicked off. He stood up and wrapped a towel around him. Now more composed, he walked into the main room and spotted the chip lying on the desk. He fed it into the computer and attached it to his report. He usually listened to Spock's reports before forwarding them, but he had never had an occasion where he had to change anything about them. He could not bear to hear the voice as it reported the incidents of the day. He routed the completed report to Starfleet and hit the 'send' button.

As he turned from the unit, the COM unit signaled him. He pressed 'receive' and the face of Pavel flashed onto the screen.

"Jim, are you alone?"

"Yes, I'm alone." He saw the face that meant so much to him. The knot in his throat melted away.

"Would it be all right if I came to your cabin tonight?"

For just a moment, Jim considered saying he wished to remain alone this evening. But he watched the expectant eyes and knew that was not true. He wanted him beside him tonight. "Yes, Pav. You know that you are always welcome here."

Pavel nodded and the screen went blank. Jim gathered the clothes that he had worn earlier and had been tossed on the bunk and threw them into the recycler. He was turning down the blanket on the bed when the door to his cabin opened and shut. He turned to see Pavel standing inside the door, tentatively, as if he was a stranger to the cabin.

"Pav," Jim walked toward him. "What's the matter? I thought you had other plans this evening."

"I did."

"And?"

"I couldn't. I did not want to be with her. I could only think about you and how much I wanted to be here." The admission was a painful one for Pavel. For all of their talk of allowing each other their freedom, Chekov was discovering that he could not find pleasure with anyone but the man that occupied this cabin. He felt that he was betraying their promise to each other. As much as he wanted to be here, he expected Jim to be upset with him.

"I'm glad," was all that Jim said. And he was. What he had with Pavel did not stop the universe, but it was a deep love and protection that he felt for this man. Something, that after this evening, he was sure that he never wanted to lose. What they had together was very special and Jim needed to begin to build on this. And, it seemed, Pavel was ready, as well.

The dark eyes rose to meet his. "You are?"

"Yes, Pav. I am glad that you want me. I need you tonight, and more. Stay with me? Not for just one night, but for all of the nights to come. Pavel Andreievich Chekov, I do love you."

Pavel walked to him and placed his arms around the taller, fairer, body. "Yes, I will stay. For as long as you will wish me here. You see, I have fallen in love with my Captain, and I want no one else."

Their lips met and they were as they had been many months ago in their Garden of Eden. Jim felt his heart expand and encompass this man within it. And he knew, whether it was from a special bond that they shared, or just from knowing them so well, that one deck below, two others were finding each other.

Jim led Pavel to his bunk and carefully undressed him. They lay together and made slow, gentle love to each other. When they were sated, Jim spooned his body against Pavel's and held him tightly. His chin rested in the thick head of hair and he smelled the scents that were distinctively those of his lover. He kissed the head as a tear escaped from the side of his eye and fell onto the pillow. It was a tear for all that could never be, and for all that he had found.

"Jim?" Pavel whispered. "Are you all right?" He had felt the brief shutter against him.

"Shhh--" Jim whispered into the hair. "Everything is, as it should be."

It would not be the last brief separation between them, but Jim and Pavel kept being drawn back to each other. As if the forces of nature would not let them give up on what they had found together. Jim was never again with either Spock or Bones. Their friendship continued as strong as it had ever been, but never returned to share each other physically. One evening, over a year later, the three were seated alone in one of the small rec rooms where Spock had just defeated Jim in a game of chess. Tea was ordered and brought to them. Bones took a sip and made a face before setting the cup down on the tray.

"This stuff is horrible. And since Spock has lost his taste for cognac, it just hasn't tasted the same."

Jim looked toward Spock and raised an eyebrow. "Lost your taste for cognac?"

Spock said nothing, but McCoy continued. "Ever since coming back from the mission with that dammed amoeba, he has not been able to even abide the smell of it. I don't know what the hell that thing did to him!"

Jim knew. "Oh, I don't know Bones, I have lost my taste for it as well." Their eyes met for a moment and they knew. It reminded them of that evening and those memories were not allowed to surface. That evening was the one secret they kept between them.

"Well, all I can say is, thank God for Romulan ale and good 'ol Kentucky Bourbon!"

Jim looked at the chrono and saw it was time for beta shift to end. He wanted to be in the cabin when Pavel returned. He excused himself and left the two men in the room alone. He heard the click of the lock as the door slid shut behind him. At least they had learned to lock the door when an impromptu lovemaking session arose. Jim smiled as he boarded the lift.

When the word came that the mission to be ended, and the Enterprise was to be brought to the Earth Station spacedock for refit, many felt it was a political situation that was the deciding factor. James Kirk had become larger than life to all that had heard of Starfleet or the Federation. The exploits of the Enterprise had become legendary. There were many in power who resented these facts. Few, if any, of the crew was able to deal with the idea that they would have to move on to other assignments. Where did you go when you had been standing on the pinnacle? A numbness took over the ship as it headed back to Earth-central. An exchanged glance could cause eyes to tear up. Speech became something that was ripped from the throat, so a hushed quietness fell upon the crew to the point that the hum of the engines could be heard ship-wide. It was as if the Enterprise was singing sweetly to all who had served her so well.

Plans were quietly made and shaky hands keyed requests for transfers. Laboratories were disassembled and rooms were closed off. Bags were packed and mementos were taken down from walls. And still the Enterprise sang.

Then, as suddenly as the mission had begun, the song stopped. The engines were powered down as they approached their destination. Warp speed slowed to sub-light. Impulse engines made no sound. And the calmness that accompanies acceptance settled among the crew. Each knowing that whatever the future held, they had been a part of this. These would be the tales that they would share with grandchildren.

Lieutenant Uhura stuffed the last item into the box. It was a needlecraft that she had worked on sporadically over the years and just recently finished:

'Let it not be forgot...that once there was a spot. For one brief shining moment, that was known as Camelot.'

Epilogue-

"Captain's Personal Log Stardate 4943.8 Captain James T. Kirk, recording."

"We are approaching Earth's orbit. We will be docking into repair station Beta-H8 in approximately oh-point-six hours, where I will turn over the Enterprise to the engineering team for refit. I have been advised that my rank is to be upgraded to Admiral at the upcoming reception tomorrow night and I am to take over Operations. I am having mixed emotions about that. I like the idea of being in a position where I can improve the condition of the crews that are dealing with the unfamiliar. I have been hindered on many occasions during these five years, by orders that have come from light-years away, and individuals unable to get the feel for what I am dealing with at the moment. I have all intentions of pushing for our relying on the knowledge and expertise of the captains and crews that we have invested years in training. It should be them we depend on to handle the unknown. On the other hand, this mission has set the standard for all other long-range missions. The alien life forms and civilizations that we have encountered, the sectors that we have mapped, and the treaties we have established have pushed the Federation well into the future. And, it is my greatest fear that I am relinquishing the chance to ever again command the center seat of a ship. But after commanding this ship, this crew..." (inaudible words followed by throat clearing sounds)

"Bones has grumbled that he thinks I am making a big mistake to accept promotion. But let's face it; right now he has a hard time accepting anything. When Spock informed me that he had resigned his commission, and would be leaving the ship to return to Vulcan, permanently, I had assumed that Bones would be joining him. However, that is not the case, and neither would share the reasons behind this separation. They had planned to bond, and now it seems that they will never see each other again. I have done all but throttle them, but it is no use. Spock left six days ago when we were at the Omega V station. He said he wished to see Saavik, his adopted daughter, before he proceeded to Vulcan. She is visiting some of Amanda's family who are stationed there. Maybe she will be able to influence him, God only knows that I have been unable to.

"I feel as if a part of me, maybe the better part of me, went with him. I am certain that the better part of Bones did. I hope Leonard can find happiness elsewhere. He has put in for early retirement. He told me that he never wants to see a Starfleet uniform again, and he intends to concentrate on research. He wants to be as far removed from this life as is humanly possible. Maybe that is for the best. We all have to choose our own paths.

"I have tried not to pressure Pavel as to his decision for the future, but I cannot say that it didn't please me when he decided to stay Earth-side for the time being. He will take a Security Chief's assignment on the Enterprise during the refit and stay with her when she relaunches. The Enterprise is slated to become a scientific research vessel in this quadrant, and the time that he would be away would be weeks instead of years, as he would be if he took a posting on a long-range ship. He has become the one constant in my life. I do not know what the future will hold for us, Bones says that we are too much alike for our relationship to last, but only time will tell. It took us years to reach this point, and I hope that we can build on it from here. We have begun to speak of the 'some day's...when,' so it does seem that we are both beginning to accept the idea that we will remain together. Of course, when you decide to enter into service with Starfleet, the only constant is change, but we will see.

"I have been advised that docking is going to commence within a few minutes. I am needed on the bridge. Future logs will be from the offices of Starfleet Services.

"Captain James T. Kirk, out. Stop recording."

END

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