Well, I listened to the Stars' Your Ex-Lover Is Dead while writing this. Godspeed.
On the unnamed planet with the violet skies and fields full of red wheat grass, the people give them an ultimatum.
They were going to kill Jim. No matter what. They saw desires like some races read auras and they knew he would die for his crew to protect them.
But would the survivors choose to remember him or choose to forget?
The people had some sort of ritual. Part serum, part technology, it had been developed and passed down for generations to ward off invasions of this type. Could easily alter your memories and place you somewhere far away.
Any painful thought would be erased.
All they asked for from the entire crew, really, was Jim's life.
Leo fought. He fought and screamed, kicking and punching as they dragged him away from the ceremonial hall they had thought the welcome services would be held in. Two days and the people had given no indication of their plans.
"It's okay, Bones." Jim said, giving him a quick smile as Leo was literally ripped from his side. He had been screaming into the transporter to get them the fuck out of there, grabbing onto Jim like a lifeline as the guards swept in.
Spock went down as some projectile hit him in the back of the neck, Uhura slumped ontop of him not soon after.
"You fuckers, you get away from me. Jim! Don't you let them do this. You don't touch him, you hear me!" He spit and yelled as they dragged him away, he had been jabbed with something in the ensuing fight and felt everything get heavy. But god did he fight. "JIM!"
Later that night the leader came to tell him it was done and that the choice was to choose.
Leo shook in his small stone cell, shoving his hands into his mouth and rocking. "No no no no."
He had to pull it together. He had to get to Jim. Jim. And to Spock and Uhura and to the Enterprise.
"Sometimes, we let the dying make the choices for the living." The leader told him and Leo closed his eyes, rage making everything feel numb.
He doesn't remember what happened next. How could he? There's nothing to remember. Leo McCoy wakes up in a small shoebox apartment outside of Atlanta. All he knows is a divorce and a failed attempt to join Starfleet.
He feels empty but figures he's supposed to.
When the Vulcan comes knocking on his door. Leo punches him in the face. He has no idea why.
"Dr. McCoy. I know this might be a strange inquiry, however, it is very important that I ask you this." The Vulcan, Spock, says as he holds ice to his rapidly bruising jaw. Leo wonders where he learned how to throw such a good punch.
"Ask me what?" He slumps in a chair that makes up the three pieces of furniture in his living room.
He thinks of the words he repeats every morning, heard somewhere from a song on the old radio he keeps in the kitchen. Live through this and you won't look back.
"That's relative. And none of your damn business." He thinks about pouring himself a drink but it's barely 2 in the afternoon and he needs to start looking into jobs at local hospitals or clinics. Anything to get himself moving and out of this apartment.
"Excuse me but I have a very illogical feeling that that is not true."
The door opens then and in walks a tall, beautiful woman. "Time's up. Your way didn't work. Get up, Leonard. We need to go save Jim. Again."
