Takeda’s agile fingers and nimble feet found plenty of purchase along the stone walls of the Chinaman’s tower. He could see the windows above him, their bars open and decorative, with easily enough room for a man his size to slip through. He’d had every intention of finding a way out of the cell and back into the castle, then searching for the source of the call which drove him, but as he drew nearer the windows, he realized that it was nearly right in front of him. His heart rate picked up, his senses seeming to come more alive the closer he climbed. When he reached the higher ledge, he actually had to hold his breath to make it through the window, so strong was the urge to simply rush heedlessly forward. One quick glance took in the well-appointed room, opulent yet stark, as were the dwellings of the daimyo in Japan. But the only thing that truly held his gaze was the large cage, and the beautiful woman within it.
“Daphne, you still have your hands over my eyes.”“You bet your ass I do.”
He gasped, his eyes going wide as he moved, dream-like, toward her. Her skin was pale, the color of moonlight, her hair wild and dark blood-red.
“Oh, hon,” Sulu sighed. “You’re beautiful.”
Her full, bountiful nakedness was covered only by small adornments at her breasts and a barely-visible triangle of gold at her nether regions.
“This costuming doesn’t seem consistent with any of the other characters’,” Jilla observed with a puzzled frown.“It looks just fine,” Sulu assured her with a broad grin.
She turned in the cage and her beauty struck him as if lightning had come down without a storm.
“Yours is the voice I heard,” he found himself whispering is awed wonder. “T’was you who called to me.”
“I told you I’d find you,” the helmsman whispered to his lady-love.
“Kalaoucera be praised,” the woman murmured, her strange silver eyes closing. When they opened again, she looked at him, a sad, soft smile barely curving her full, dark lips. Her small hand reached out, caressing his face. “Your features are similar to the sorcerer’s,” she said. “Perhaps that is an omen.”
“I not t’ink you look that bad, Sulu.”“Shut up, Del,” Ruth frowned.
“He keeps you captive,” Takeda rasped. “What does he want from you?”
“Her clothes, fo’ one t’ing, I guessin’,” the engineer observed.“Daphne, I can’t see!”
“My powers, my magic,” she replied. “But those I am bound to give only to the one who can hear my need, who can respond to my call.” Again her lips softened in a smile. “You heard, and you have come.”
“Celletyea,” Jilla murmured, resting her head against Sulu’s shoulder.“Celletyea cortayel,” he returned.
“How can I free you?” he asked desperately. “I have a weapon that could slice through these bars, but the Chinaman captured me and my sword is hidden away from this castle.”
“No plain blade could accomplish it,” she told him. “But if you bring your sword here, I can enchant it and then it will cut not only the bars but the magic that binds me.”
“All right,” DelMonde yawned. “Roll credits. This were fun while it lasted…”There were noises of protest from his fellow audience members.
Takeda hesitated, though every fiber in his being wanted to agree and race for his katana. “I – I have companions who are also imprisoned. If I leave them, and am discovered missing, it will go hard with them.”
“Oh, yeah, there was that li’l t’ing ‘bout me bein’ in the dungeon…”
“Ming already plans to sell them to the Sultan’s minions,” the woman said sadly. “I fear there is no help for them unless you can return quickly and with force of arms. When I am free, I can help you.”
He shuddered, his body responding to her in a way that made reason impossible. “I will return, then, and soon,” he promised.
“What are you doing?” Sulu asked his screen persona. “Don’t leave.”
“What is your name, my avowed one?” she asked.
“Takeda Mitsuyori,” he replied.
She smiled a third time. “I am Iere, Priestess of Kalaoucera of WaqWaq, and you, Takeda Mitsuyori, are mine in sworn bond.” She glanced over her shoulder. “You must hurry now.”
“You do have obligations elsewhere,” Jilla commented understandingly.“And I’m an idiot,” Sulu concluded.
On an impulse he couldn’t explain, Takeda leaned forward, capturing Iere’s dark lips in a kiss of gentle passion. “Aishiteru,” he found himself murmuring.
“Aye,” she returned softly. “And I, you.”
“I’ll be right back, hon,” Sulu promised, mimicking his on-screen action.“Daphne, please uncover my eyes.”
DelMonde and Chekov had called a truce while waiting for Takeda’s return. Del had again explained the ‘call’ the Asian had sworn he heard, pointing out that that was all he knew about it. The Russian had looked troubled, and only revealed what he had overheard when Del pressed him.
“Are you sure it’s safe?” Chekov asked his girlfriend sarcastically when she finally released her deathgrip on him.“It’s just you and Del.”
“We don’t have any shirts on,” the navigator observed. “Perhaps I should cover your eyes.”
“So th’ petit was right?” the Frenchman asked. “Th’ Chinaman really got himself a witch?”
“A li’l silver vitch,” the engineer annotated.
Chekov nodded glumly. “But she won’t use her magic for him.”
“Got that right,” Sulu muttered, hugging Jilla close.
“You be t’inkin’ she the one who called Také?”
“I do not pretend to understand such superstition nonsense.”
“You ought not pretend t’ understand anyt’ing, ya dumb fuck.”“Noel…”
Del snorted. “It nonsense enough to make th’ boy climb outta here.”
“If he doesn’t fall to his death, we may find out,” was the dour response.
“Bet I don’t,” the helmsman asserted confidently.
Del sighed and crossed one booted foot over his knees. After a long moment of silence, he spoke again.
“Hey, Moscow, what was that crack Ming made ‘bout givin’ us to th’ corsairs to work in the Sultan's harem? I thought harems were only for women.”
The navigator snorted. “Speaking of being uninformed…”“What you sayin’?”
The Russian made a face, clearly disgusted with the other’s ignorance. “They are,” he replied. “The only men are the harem guards.”
Del grinned. “Mais, that not sound like no bad work.”
“Oh, you ignorant jackass,” the Cajun rolled his eyes at his own image.
It was Chekov’s turn to snort. “I doubt you'd like the entrance requirements.”
“Why?” the Frenchman replied warily.
Chekov gave him a sidelong glance. “Harem guards must be castrated before they can begin work,” he said.
“Ya’ll best drop this sub-plot,” the engineer warned to general giggles. “An’ quit makin’ me stupid.”“As if,” Ruth Valley snorted evilly.
Del blanched, swallowed hard, and shuddered “Mere de duin…” he muttered, then glanced up at the broken bars on the window above him. “Také!” he muttered urgently. “Where by God’s blood are you?!!”
“This a terrible fuckin’ movie,” DelMonde complained, crossing his arms and frowning.
It was with some surprise that the crew of the Raven and that of the Enterprise found themselves approaching the beach of King’s Isle from opposite directions. Before any other word could be spoken, Caitlin Valley cried out, “God’s death!” and drew her sword. Yuriko immediately followed suit, then blinked, holding back as she saw the unfamiliar, ununiformed woman that faced her.
“Daffy Rosen?!” she cried.
“It’s you, it’s you!” several people in the audience cried, and Daffy stuck out her tongue at all of them.
John Kirk drew his blade before the pirate wench’s shout had died. Without really looking at his adversary, he attacked, hearing the clang of metal against metal. Only then did he realize who he stood against.
“MeiLin?” he gasped in surprise.
“It’s you, it’s you,” Jim said softly to Jade, and nudged McCoy’s arm as Bones chuckled.
Captain Han scowled. Her First Mate was too impetuous, too willing to fight when a parlay might suit just as well – or even better. But now that the battle was engaged, she could do naught but draw her own weapon. She heard One-Eyed Riko’s shout and glanced over. Sure enough, the owner of the Sweetwater Inn was in the Enterprise’s contingent, dressed as though she were one of MeiLin’s own crew. The unexpected turn of events was almost her undoing, for she saw Kirk brandishing his sword and just barely got her own up in time to parry the strike.
“See what daydreamin’ll get ya?” McCoy chortled, with a wink at Jim.Jade pursed her lips in lieu of a frown.
“Hold, hold, damn it!” Kirk called urgently and stepped back from MeiLin. As his men stepped back, he heard her shout, “Enough!” Her crew complied, but with a great deal more grumbling and cursing than did his own.
“You see? James is an honorable man,” Jade commented to McCoy, who was still chuckling.
“Now,” she continued, her voice steely, “what is it you’re doing here, Commodore?”
“Gapin’ at you, looks like,” McCoy cackled.“Let it drop, Bones,” Jim advised.
“We were given some information that led me to believe my officer is imprisoned here,” Kirk answered tightly. “And you, Captain?”
“I’m looking for the God-cursed corsairs,” MeiLin replied. “You do know they’ve got your pay?”
Kirk frowned. “No, they don’t. I searched Sahin’s ship when he – uh …”
“Ratted us out, the filthy wharf-rat!” Cailin snarled.
“WOMP-rat!” came a call in several voices. Ruth shrugged and Spock gave her a soft smile.
“Hmmm,” MeiLin murmured. “If he doesn’t, and I don’t, and you don’t…”
“The Chinaman,” she and Kirk finished together.
“He an evil, evil Chinaman,” Del commented to Sulu, then ducked the smack Ruth aimed at the back of his head.Kirk almost grinned. “Well, Captain, it seems our purposes are at a meeting of ways.”
The laughter this provoked made both Jade and Jim flush.
“That it does, Commodore,” the pirate replied. “Perhaps, then, a truce is in order until…”
“Cap’n, have you gone daft!?” Cat cried.
“Patience, Cat,” MeiLin said. “We might as well work togther for our common goal.” She eyed Kirk. “There will be a reward in it if we help you recover your gold, aye?”
“That does seem only proper,” Kirk returnred, frowning. “Providing you also help us recover Mistress Rosen’s assistant from the corsairs.”
“They’ve taken Cori!” Daffy called out. “I saw it with my own eyes!”
MeiLin sighed, considering. “You want us to attack a Turkish vessel?” she asked dubiously.
“Of course not,” the Commodore said. “I had more of a mind to sneak aboard while Sahin is engaged with the Chinaman.” He paused. “Such is more your style, is it not, Captain?”
“I do like to employ subtlety whenever possible,” she said, her lips twitching in a half smile.
“They’re enjoyin’ this now,” McCoy said with a broad grin as more laughter rippled through the audience.
“So I’ve noticed,” Kirk retutrned, his own lips similarly engaged. “And have been the victim of it more than once.”
“Well, Commodore, since you know my mind so well, perhaps we can indeed strike a deal.”
“All right, that’s enough!” Jade demanded as the hilarity was reaching a fever pitch.
“We work tegether until Mistress Roesn’s assistant is freed and I have recovered my pay chest,” Kirk said.
“For a reward of – say – one hundred sovereigns?”
“One hundred…!” Kirk’s officer, Lieutenant Riley, began.
“Or we could slit your damned throats an’ take it all!” Cat shot back.
“You tell him, honey,” Sulu said gleefully.“The li’l rat bastard,” DelMonde muttered.
“That’t the offer, Commodore,” MeiLin said. “Take it or leave it.”
There was really little else he could do. He grunted a terse, “done,” and MeiLin held out her hand. With a great show of reluctance, Kirk took it, shaking firmly. The moment their hands touched. MeiLin was seized with the desire to pull him close to her and steal another kiss from his firm, determined lips. As she gazed at him, she could see the same longing in his eyes.
A loud, lengthy “oooooh!” and exchanges of knowing looks were followed by more laughter, and Jade sighed.“Can’t fool a psychocin, Jade,” McCoy told her.
Chekov and DelMonde took fighting stances as the heavy cell door opened.
“Oh, hell,” Del growled, crossing his arms.
For once they both had the same thought – they would be killed when it was discovered that Takeda had escaped.
“Actually I t‘hinkin’ ‘bout the beatdown a few o' you motherfuckers a gonna catch if you don’t stop tryin’ to maim or kill off my character.”
When the Asian hadn’t returned, Del had cursed him,
“Imagine that,” Chekov said wryly.
Chekov muttering that such was only to be expected of a deserter and mutineer.
“Hey!” Sulu protested.“Just in the movie,” the navigator assured him.
They had even considered attempting to follow him, but as both were larger than the thin, lithe monkey,
“Hey!” the helmman repeated.“You are rather thin,” his helmpartner observed.
“An’ monkey-ish,” the Cajun agreed.
“Have fun as eunuchs,” Sulu replied.
neither could fit through the opening he’d made in the bars and, truth be told, both knew they hadn’t the Asian’s climbing skills – and it was still a more than fifty foot drop to the rocky shore below the tower.
But if the guards who entered the cell noticed Takeda’s absence, they didn’t comment on it. One pointed to Chekov and said, “You! Come with us!”
“Oh, hell,” Del grinned.
“Where are you taking me?” Pytor demanded.
“To th’ chop shop,” the engineer guessed.“I wouldn’t wish anything too horrible on my character if I were you, Noel,” the Russian advised. “Anything that happens to me is like to happen to you as well.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“Yeah,” promised the Russian's girlfriend.
“Lord Ming has been gracious enough to offer you a final meal,” the guard intoned, and the other sniggered. “It would be most unwise of you to refuse.”
“Ol’ Ming decided he want some…”“Shhhhh!!” Ruth preemptively silenced her ex-lover.
Pytor stiffened, his jaw tightening.
“I’d not eat not’ing he give you,” DelMonde advised. “Poison’s usually a nasty way t’ die.”
“Assumin’ he don’t have th’ fate worse than death planned fo’ ya,” Del said.“Shhhhhh!!!”
“Thank you for that obvious bit of wisdom,” Pytor retorted, “but I suspect I’ll be given no choice.”
“Au revoir, then, débile charonge.” Del grinned nastily.
Chekov drew himself up and offered his hands to be bound. The guards again snorted, and the Russian was simply taken by the arms and pulled out of the cell.
To his surprise, he was led not to Ming’s chamber, but only a few meters away to another cell. This was one crudely furnished with a small, metal-framed bed.
“Oooo!” the engineer whistled among other noises of salacious anticipation from the audience. “Th’ fate worse than death it is!”
A large ring on a chain hung ominously outside the barred windows and Pytor found himself wondering if he would find himself hanging from it, meat for the island’s crows. The guards left him there, and he eyed the bed nervously. What kind of ‘final meal’ would need a bed?
“I can t’ink o’ one,” the Cajun said.“Shhhhh!!!”
The very thought made him shiver.
“...Wit' anticipation,” the engineer supplied only to be once more viciously shushed by the navigator’s girlfriend and the First Officer’s wife.
When the door opened again, he tensed, but only Desireé slipped into the cell, the door closing rapidly behind her.
“Damn it!” Ramon Ordona swore amidst catcalls from the audience.“What can I do?” Dubois shrugged. “The audience loves me.”
She quickly crossed to him, going on her knees before him. “Forgive my betrayal, Pytor Chekov,” she said softly. “When your young friend insisted we come back, there was nothing else I could do. Lord Ming would have had me tortured and killed, and surely, monsieur, I have suffered enough at his hand.” She gazed up at him. “I see in your eyes that you are a kind man. Understand, I beg you, and give me this time to make amends.”
“She’d better not!” Daffy Gollub growled.“Daphne,” the navigator said, very humbly. “I beg you to remember that I have no control…”
“You’d better start developing some fast,” she threatened.
“My ‘young friend’ is no comrade of mine,” Pytor replied grimly. “He and his companion are mutineers, deserters from my ship. They deserve this fate.”
“Ah, but I do not, gentle monsieur,” Desireé continued. “I was captured from my ship. I am not here of my own free will. I would help you escape again if I could, but for now, let us enjoy the time as best we can.” She rose, coming close to him. “These may be your last hours, Pytor Chekov. We can go to God with a happy memory, non?”
“Daphne…” Chekov began, helplessly covering his own eyes.“Oh, the two of you will be meeting your maker all right,” his girlfriend promised.
“What do you mean?” Chekov replied nervously.
“What a dumb fuck,” his cabinmate observed.
Desireé took a deep breath, her face tilted up invitingly. “How long has it been since you’ve been with a woman, ma cher?”
“Never,” the Cajun guessed.
Pytor shuddered, biting his lips. “Too long,” he admitted.
Desireé smiled. “Then your need must be great,” she whispered.
“It better not be!”
“It is,” Chekov said, “but…”
“Ow!” the real Chekov winced as a very solid smack landed against the back of his head.
The girl drew him to sit on the bed. “Let me ease you,” she breathed, and drew off her blue and gold vest, revealing perfectly formed and ample breasts.
“Monique!” Ramon protested, almost drowned out by the audience’s enthusiastic expressions of approval.“Damn, girl,” Del commented. “You photograph really well.”
“Thank you,” Dubois replied with an unashamed dimpled smile.
In the back of the room, Captain Kirk turned to Dr. Han. “About those content filters…”
“Already noted, Captain,” the psychologist replied briskly as she continued to scribble another adamant message to her technical advisor.
Chekov inhaled sharply, then closed his eyes. “Nyet,” he murmured, though it was with great reluctance.
“Dumb fuck,” DelMonde pronounced to some agreement.
“You do not like girls?” Desireé asked.
“As much as he like Mings?”“Shhhhh!!”
The taunts of DelMonde and Takeda made his face redden. “I do, but…” he began.
“Ow!” Chekov said in response to another smack. “I said, but.”“You’d better not start talking about her butt!”
“You do not wish to touch flesh as soiled as mine?” the French girl pouted.
“Look pretty clean t’ me,” the Cajun observed, “although if he commenced into givin’ it a nice bath, I t’ink I could force myself t’ watch that…”
“I – I don’t think of you as…” Pytor looked away. “I am an honorable man, Miss Desireé, and I – I have… that is, there is…”
“Ming?”“Shhhh!!”
“Ah, you have a woman?” Desireé guessed.
“YES!!!” thundered his girlfriend.
“Yes,” Chekov sighed in relief. “She is an innkeeper, the proprietor of the Sweetwater.”
“Mistress Rosen?” the girl exclaimed.
“You bet your hussy pirate ass I am!” the lady proclaimed.
"Yes! Do you know her?” Pytor exclaimed in relief.
“She’s gonna know my boot up her trampy butt,” the chemist threatened.
“Aye, I do. You and she…?”
“We’ve not made a formal commitment, but…”
Desireé sighed, curling up against him, placing her arm around his shoulder in a carefully non-sexual gesture. “Ah, poor monsieur,” she said. “Je comprends. What a fine man you are. Mistress Rosen is très chanceux, non?”
“See, she’s only trying to be comforting,” the Russian tried to mollify.“Comforting with her shirt off,” Gollub said, giving him another smack.
“But I don’t think I will ever see her again,” Pytor added glumly.
“Neither one of you is going to be seeing anything again if Monique doesn’t close her damned vest pretty quick,” the chemist promised to the grunted agreement of Dubois’ boyfriend.
Desireé made comforting sounds. “But you may, Pytor Chekov.” She smiled sadly. “You may.”
“Dumb fuck,” DelMonde pronounced to subtle noises of agreement from several of his peers.