[A/N: I know, I know... It took too damn long to post this chapter but it took too damn long to get inspiration. But I finally got it back... I re-watched Hunger Games and saw Catching Fire so I got my muse back. But remember guys, this is loosely inspired by the Hunger Games as well as the TOS episode Gamesters of Triskelion. Enjoy.]

Chapter 6

"All Senior Officers report to the bridge. I repeat all Senior Officers report to the bridge." Uhura's voice over the ship's intercoms roused Kirk from his sleep. Groaning, he rolled out of bed, his arms and legs flared and burned in protest at the movement. He stood on wobbling knees, but was able to keep his footing as he walked to his closet and pulled on his Starfleet mandate uniform.

His door hissed opened and Spock was waiting there, his hands behind his back. "Captain, I trust you slept well." His formal tone made Jim's eye twitch with mild irritation. It was too early to deal with his First Officer, and he had a feeling he wouldn't even get the chance for a hot cup of coffee.

"I slept fine Commander, no worries there." Spock nodded rather stiffly.

"excellent, Lieutenant Uhura tells me we are several hours away from the planet Triskelion. Starfleet has asked us to take the unmarked shuttle to the planet and to eliminate all evidence that leads us back to Starfleet Command." Jim nodded as he walked to the turbolift. He had that plan in mind already. He felt a slight cold chill run up his spine and grip his heart and Jim gasped in his throat and finally forced it down. He knew Spock had seen him tense up, but the Vulcan was kind enough not to call him on it.

The doors hissed opened and Chekov's voice filled the space. "Captain on the bridge." Everyone stood and Jim nodded once at them and muttered out:

"At ease." they sat back down and Jim stopped next to Uhura. "Any frequencies?"

"Yeah, just a repeated announcement of the Games, and that they are tributes and volunteers for the Games. We made it just in time for registration."

"Glad to hear!" Jim stepped next to Sulu. "How far are we out?"

"5 hours, sir. I suggest you take the shuttle now to make on time."

"By the time you get there, the registration would have started." Uhura added in and she threw a glance at Spock.

McCoy stepped onto the bridge and he looked at Jim and motioned him over. Jim cautiously walked over.

"Hey Bones."

"Jim, promise me you won't do anything stupid. Come back alive, or else I'll bring you back just so I can kill you again myself." Jim smiled delicately.

"I can't make any promises Bones, you know that." McCoy glowered at him and tightened his fists so he couldn't grab Jim by the collar of his Starfleet uniform and shake him until his teeth rattled in his skull.

"Goddamn it Jim!" he hissed. "You know damn well you have to come back alive! Or else this mission is a complete failure!"

Jim couldn't look his friend in the eyes.

"Trust me Bones, I know." Bones let out a harsh sigh through his nose.

"Just don't get yourself killed." Jim smiled, but it was so faint, it was almost a ghost.

"Thanks Bones."

"Captain. I believe we should depart now." Spock's voice sounded from over Jim's shoulder.

"I agree Commander, let's file out." Jim clapped Bones on the shoulder and left for the turbolift. "Sulu, Uhura, take the comms. Be on standby and try to tap into the Game's live feed. I'll feel better knowing someone is cheering for us." the doors hissed opened and then hissed closed.

McCoy's eyes slid closed and hands were on his shoulder. He opened them to find both Scotty and Chekov there.

"The keptin will be fine."

"The kid's right Doctor, Jimbo knows what he's doing."

McCoy didn't speak, he just nodded. All he wanted was for Jim and Spock to get out this alive and minimal damage. But he knew that was impossible. The games changed anyone participating forever. If they got out of this alive, they would be changed men. No one was going to deny that much.

"We need to change, we have to ditch the uniforms."

"We will on the shuttle, we have everything already on board thanks to the courteousy of the good Doctor." Jim chuckled.

"You and Bones don't like each other much do you?"

"It's complicated to like Doctor McCoy when he is ruled by his emotions, and I think he finds difficult to like me when I am more logical." Jim snorted.

"Everyone finds it difficult to like you when you're logical, Spock." the Vulcan tilted his head and looked slightly quizzical.

"Is that so?"

"Have you not noticed? People actively try to avoid you when they know you're on a logical kick." Spock looked intrigued and Jim rolled his eyes as he stepped onto the shuttle. Jim turned to Spock and leveled him with a hard stare. "'Captain' and 'Commander' ends here. From here on out til the end of the mission, we are just Jim and Spock. Understood?" Spock gave his trademark stiff nod.

"Of course..." there was a slight pause and Jim had almost missed it. "Jim."

Jim smiled with satisfaction and moved to the chairs. Spock border and the shuttle door closed behind him. Small duffel bags lined the wall behind the control chairs and there were several small first aid kits and kits with vaccines for Jim allergies.

"Wow, Bones sure did make sure we were prepared for every possible outcome." Jim's gaze roamed over the several small packs that were piled by the duffel bags.

"Doctor McCoy wanted to as through as possible it seems."

"Well he out did himself that's for sure. Hopefully, we can hide a first aid kit and a vaccine kit on our clothes during the Games."

"Indeed." Spock took a seat and began flipping switches. The engine of the shuttle hummed to life and lights flickered on through out the shuttle. "Power is good and stable. We have enough to get us there and back." Jim clapped Spock on the shoulder.

"Alright then, fly us on out of here Spock." Jim turned and began to strip when he found a loose-fitting black long-sleeved shirt and a pair of loose-fitting dark green cargo pants.

"How far out are we Spock?" Jim asked after what felt like an eternity of silence.

"3.25 hours." He sighed. Damn, this was going to be a very long flight.

Jim took over the controls when Spock rose to change. Jim kept an eye on the read outs and discovered that they were now only about two hours out. Something curled and clenched in Jim's gut and he let out a startled breath. Spock rose his head from pulling on a pair of pants and moved to Jim's side.

"Are you alright?" his voice was soft and it unwound whatever had knotted in Kirk's stomach.

"Yeah, just my nerves hitting me I guess." he could feel his hand shaking against the shuttle's controls. Spock's eyes glanced down at the shaking appendage and laid a soft and gentle hand on Jim's tense shoulder.

"We'll get out alive." and it sounded like a promise and benediction all in one. It was either the sound of his voice or the touch on his shoulder that made Jim relax, he wasn't sure which, but he was grateful for it.

By the time they landed on the planet of Triskelion, people were gathering on the landing docks. To men in what looked like some kind of Cyber looking armor with glowing lights of red, yellow, and green.

"State your names." the voice was humanoid and robotic all at the same time. Jim stepped forward, followed by Spock.

"My name is Jim Pike. This is my friend and ally, Spock of Vulcan." the humanoid robot typed it onto the holographic tablet it was carrying.

"Are you here to register for the Games?"

"Yes, we are." Spock was watching Jim closely.

"Follow me." the android (if you could call it that) turned and led them through the throng of strangely dressed people. There were some who looked as if they came from primeval planets, others from insanely rich planets, and there was a large group of people who bore cybernetic* clothing as well as high-tech Victorian clothes* as well.

Jim made sure to keep close to Spock as well as their guide, but it was hard when there was an insanely large crowd of people surrounding them. Their voices combined into one huge murmur of different languages and sounds. It was making Jim's throat tight and his head spin. Hands landed on his shoulders and he violently jerked but the impossible strong grip kept him in place.

"Breathe Jim, we're almost out." Spock's voice was close to his ears. How had he known that Jim was on the verge of a full-blown panic attack?

Suddenly light filled his vision and there was wild cheering as they stepped out of the landing docks and into the neon world of Triskelion's major city. Banners were flashing across high definition screens on the side of buildings. People's photos were dancing across smaller screens. The android led them to a building were a huge neon banner read: "Welcome Gamesters to the 47th Annual Triskelion Games!" in bright pink and green colors. Jim ran his hand over his face.

What had he volunteered for?

[A/N: the two asterisks are my way of describing Cyberpunk and Steampunk clothing. I hope that this chapter is up to standards and if anyone has questions they can PM me. I decided to make Triskelion a high-tech planet because in the TOS, it was rather primal and primeval and wanted to build something straight from my imagination. I'm sorry the description of the city is so vague but they won't be spending much time there so I won't waste your time with unwanted or unneeded details. Thanks again for reading and sorry it took so long to get this posted.]