Just Ignore It

The air of the planet was thick with humidity and you almost needed a screen to stop you from swallowing bugs or getting them in your eyes. Trees arched up into the green blue sky blending together and the shadows were alive with all the creatures of the undergrowth and darkness.

Jim wiped the sweat off his brow, looking enviously at Spock. His Vulcan boyfriend was unaffected by the heat of Rhea IV and even if he was, Vulcans didn't have sweat glands. As a result, his lover was the only one of the landing party who looked impeccable and put together, most opting for scanning and getting samples from the fauna that was in the shade of the forest or trying to discreetly pull of their uniform shirt out of Spock's vision, glaring enviously as he stood in full sunlight unaffected.

Jim sighed and thought about returning to the ship. He could fake a call and beam up. The shower in his quarters was looking more and more enjoyable by the minute, and maybe after Spock would be back and he could join Jim in bed. Jim bent to examine the rocks on the undergrowth, scanning the tricorder over them, the machine processing the new data.

"Captain," Spock's voice made Jim look up from the screen of the tricorder, "There seems to be many large creatures in this vicinity that largely resemble the earth Emu, I suggest that we return to the ship as soon as possible."

"Why? Are they hostile?" Jim acted as if he wanted to stay but Spock's findings gave him a perfect way off the sauna they were on.

"Unconfirmed, but they are dangerous if they decide to attack."

"Ok then, Guys, come back and get ready for beam up," Jim called out to the rest of the team, most looking relieved by the news that they were returning to the nice, air conditioned ship. The away team started to gather around, some pulling on their colours sheepishly and swatting away bugs.

The tricorder in Jim's hand beeped and he looked down, and his heart sped up.

"Everyone hurry it up," He kept his voice steady but his loud call gave it away. The last crewman was almost there.

"What is it, Captain?" Spock was drawing closer to Jim and he could feel the familiar Vulcan warmth that he felt each night. But somewhere in the darkness, Jim heard footsteps of something big.

"We might be right on top of one the the Emu things nest." He said slowly looking down at what was now confirmed to be eggs.

Jim pushed his communicator, "Scotty, beam us up."

"If we transport all of you at once the beam up won't be ready for another two minutes Captain." Scotty's voice cut through the noise of the alien birds charging through the undergrowth toward the away team.

"Beam us up in groups then," Jim was frantic now and he could see the rough shapes of the creatures in the trees, a few more seconds and they would be on them.

"Aye Captain,"

Jim heard the familiar noise of a group of people beaming up. But the birds were starting to come out of the trees now, Jim's mind was buzzing with adrenaline and he turned to Spock.

"Stay with the away team, try to minimise any injuries. I'll buy some time." Spock's brow furrowed the way it did when he didn't understand his illogical human.

"Time, Captain?"

But Jim barely heard him, he had grabbed one of the eggs off the ground and was now dashing through the trees as if he had the devil himself behind him. He lept over roots and pushed through bushes all the while screaming to draw the birds after him. He occasionally turned to fire a phaser shot into the herd of animals running behind him.

"Hey uglies, can't catch me, can you? I have one of your eggs and you still won't be able to get me."

The birds kept after him persistently and Jim kept running even after he knew the landing party would have returned to the ship. And while he only had human stamina, the birds could keep going without slowing down and they had legs much longer than Jim's. Soon, when Jim had run so far into the forest that it became hard to move with all the roots on the ground. He knew he wouldn't be able to run anymore if he kept this up and he could feel the breath of the fastest birds behind him. Fumbling, he hit his communicator.

"Scotty, is everyone safe?" The closest bird swiped at his neck with the razor sharp beak it had strapped to his face.

"Aye Captain, where are ye, Mister Spock is worried. He's pacing the transporter now with Doctor McCoy?" The Scottish borough was comforting in a way even when Jim could feel the blood trickling down his back from the attack.

"I don't know, somewhere in the forest with the emu things on my tail, tell Bones and Spock that I'll be...Aghh!" A bird had caught up to him and clawed at him with its sharp claws. The claws caught Jim's side and he saw the tips poking through his stomach. "Fuck!"

"Captain?" Jim could hear Scotty's worried voice from him communicator and in the background, Spock's distressed tone and Bones's irritated muttering and he tried to hold onto it, to hold onto the familiar sounds. But as more of the birds started attacking him from behind it was all Jim could do to drop the egg and curl into a ball to protect his face and eyes.

_________

When Jim next woke, he was in the harsh cleanliness of sickbay, under the bright, white lights and from what he could tell through the haze of painkillers being aggressively hyped by Bones.

"Whaaaa?" Jim's voice was rough from lack of use and possibly from damage and his mouth tasted as if several of the emu things had crawled in and died.

"Scotty managed to beam you up last minute," Bones's voice was flat meaning Jim had really pissed him off, it was going to take entire bottles of bourbon for Bones to forgive him. Spock was probably more pissed. Jim thought mildly, but Spock would forgive him if Jim just rubbed his ears and brushed their fingers in a Vulcan kiss. "You looked like you went through a wood chipper. And then you flatlined on us twice. TWICE Jim. Dammit man. I'm just trying to get you to survive till you're forty. Is that too much to ask?"

"No," Jim was quiet, "But I survived as here I am talking to you. So excellent job on the 'get Jim to forty' thing. And we can chalk this off as a learning experience." He was more awake and the drugs were wearing off. Bones had done an excellent job on fixing him up and Jim wanted to return to the bridge.

"What..."Bones spluttered, "A learning experience?"

"Yeah, I found out that the phrase, 'ignore it and it will go away' does not apply to an angry group of alien birds." Jim flashed his most charming smile at Bones.

"Agghh.."Bones let out a sound like he was being strangled but his words were cut short when the med bay doors whooshed open to reveal Spock.

"Jim,"Spock was by his side in an instant, almost absent mindedly he brushed his first two fingers against Jim's in a soft Vulcan kiss. "Are you ok Ashayam? Why wasn't I notified of his awakening?" The last part of his sentence was directed at Bones and seemed angry that he had been kept away from his loved one.

"I'm fine Spock, I feel normal. Almost like it never happened." Jim reached up and caressed Spock's face and grinned when he saw the green blush spread across his cheeks. Jim then turned to Bones. "Any chance I can leave soon?'

"Absolutely not." Bones seemed to recover from Spock's angry comment, "You will remain in sick bay for at least another day. You had internal bleeding Jim."

"But Bones..."Jim started to whine but Bones pushed another hypo into his neck. It seemed to be a sedative because as soon as Jim realised what he had done and was about to protest. The world grew fuzzy and he passed out on his pillow again. The last thing he remembered being Spock's hand on his own and the voice of his lover overhead.

"Shom-tor k'hat'n'dlawa,"And Jim was gone to the world.

  The Vulcan at the end translates to 

Ashayam - Vulcan term for beloved

Shom-tor k'hat'n'dlawa - Rest half of my heart and soul