Here you go, a day early, or a few hours anyway…

Jim thinks he needs to at least pretend to sit near his mother and the children though his gaze wanders too often to where Spock now sitting with the Vulcan pilot.

It’s stupid to feel jealous. He doubts Spock has a personal relationship with the other Vulcan. Sarek had told him Spock was attempting Kolinahr.

He tried to remember now if Spock had told him whether he went through it or not. His brain was unexpectedly fuzzy and the heat in the shuttlecraft was distractingly annoying. He pulled at his collar.

“Jim, are you all right?” His mother’s concerned voice cuts through the fogginess of his brain and he straightened in the seat.

“Yeah, fine.” Jim glanced at Brick and Isabella huddled next to his mother, nearly on top of her but she doesn’t seem to mind. “It’ll be okay,” he tells them.

Jim didn’t really blame him when all they did was stare at him, barely any hint of life in their gazes. Likely they’re in shock. It’s been a strange few hours.

Sitting across from him was Desda. She watched him like shw’d trying to figure something out.

“You’re flushed,” she announced.

“It’s really hot in here,” Jim mumbled.

Desda bit her lip. “No, it really isn’t. It’s cold in here.” She sucked in a breath. “You didn’t get shot did you?”

“Jim!”

This from his mother.

He shook his head. “No.”

Desda’s gaze swept over him and then she got out of her seat and sat directly next to him. She pointed at his leg.

“What is that?”

Jim stared down at his pants and on the left calf he could see a dark wet spot. He frowned.

“I dunno. I think I cut it against a branch or something while we were escaping Tolar’s house.”

To Jim’s surprise, Desda pulled out a small knife and used it to cut away his pant leg.

His mother gasped. “Jim! That’s surely infected.”

Spock suddenly appeared. “What is the commotion?”

“Jim’s been injured.”

Desda put her hand on Jim’s forehead. “He’s burning up.”

“Well…damn.”