A/N: This story takes place after Into Darkness. There is a prequel to it entitled Splinters, but you don't have to have read it to understand this story. Warnings for mentions of torture, child abuse, Tarsus IV, violence and some bad language.

Men and Monsters

War Criminals

The screen is filled with a face that is branded into Jim's memory, a scarred burn against his sleep as painful as the actual brand was against his flesh, that mark imposed on his skin but left afterwards; as a reminder of all that was lost from that man, and all that he could not take. It is face that watched as he was held down, that smiled as he screamed, that looked upon people as numbers and values.

Jim has thought of that face almost every single day since he was fourteen years old. Whenever he cannot sleep, he imagines his fist against it. He has always thought, deep down, that Kodos (because what other face would haunt his dreams?) was probably dead. The body was found burnt, unrecognisable to any, but it was still a body. And yet here Kodos stands, looking older but virtually unchanged, on his screen.

Jim knows he cannot afford to lose it. This conversation is being broadcast ship wide. His entire crew is watching him, without a clue of exactly what this man means to him. And Kodos means a lot to Kirk – if he is alive, Jim is going to kill him. He once promised Kodos that he would do it, and he has always regretted that he didn't. Now he can.

He cannot afford to lose it…

"Hello Kirk," Kodos says, and that voice is rich with so many memories. Your continued existence represents a threat to the well-being of society. Your lives mean slow death to the more valued members of the colony. Therefore, I have no alternative but to sentence you to death. "Or should I call you Captain Kirk?"

"If we're going with titles than I guess you can call me captain and I'll call you the executioner," Kirk says, after a beat that is longer than his usual pause, but unnoticeable to all those excluding those who know him well (so most people on the bridge). He is proud when his voice does not shake.

"Oh James," Kodos says, causing Kirk to stiffen (because that same silky tone said that same word so many years ago, followed by more pain then he had ever imagined was possible). "I've missed you." Then Kodos laughs, like this whole thing is some kind of joke.

"Why are you in contact with the Enterprise? What is your intent? How are you broadcasting this ship wide?" Kirk asks, in quick succession, keeping his expression neutral. He can pretend that this is not personal. "As a suspected war criminal I advise you to give yourself over to this ship, where you will be transported back to Earth to face trial."

"I chose the Enterprise because of you, James. I need something from Starfleet, and I thought you would be a good person to ask." Kodos acts like this is obvious, like Jim is missing the whole point of things.

"We don't tend to negotiate with war criminals," Kirk spits out, not even bothering to hide the venom.

"You will. You see, what I want is very simple. Starfleet will get me a new identity, and stop looking for me. I need surgery so nobody will recognise me," Kodos demands.

"What do you mean stop looking? Everyone thought you were dead." Kirk asks, confused.

"Is that what they told you?" Kodos laughs, menacingly. "They probably felt that if you knew I had escaped you wouldn't be able to move on. I would have thought that they'd let you in on the secret when you joined Starfleet. I guess they just don't trust you." This little fact makes Jim want to shut his eyes and sit in a dark corner for a few hours (because Starfleet lied, lied, lied and failed him like they did all those years ago and how could he have expected anything else?), but he cannot act hurt when he has a ship to run and this to deal with.

"If Starfleet are searching for you, what makes you think we'd stop?" Kirk settles on, which he thinks makes it seem as though he isn't upset by Starfleet's lack of trust in him.

"I have both a carrot and a stick." Kodos looks smug.

"Enlighten me," Kirk snaps.

"The carrot is information. I have information about the Klingons that you will find useful."

"Where did you obtain this information?" Spock asks from beside Kirk, because of course whether or not there is actual information matters to the Vulcan, when all that matters to Kirk is Kodos being dead on the ground like the children left outside to rot and the whole families slaughtered in the square.

"That would be telling. But I assure you, it is valid."

"What makes you think that some information would be worth the trade off?" Kirk counters, anger heavy in his voice.

"I haven't told you about the stick yet." Kodos points out. Jim doesn't respond, because he needs to count to ten inside his head to stop him from screaming. When no words are spoken, Kodos continues. "If you do not comply with my demands then I will release the fact that I'm alive to the public. Imagine the scandal! Starfleet lied to everyone, including the victims. And just to sensationalise it I'll tell everybody all about what happened on Tarsus, in detail. Won't the press have a field day when they hear some of the stories?"

"You would not have the capacity to carry out this threat if you were in the custody of Starfleet," Spock remarks, voice even.

"I've made recordings. They will be released if you don't comply with my demands." Kodos is still smug, like he has considered every eventuality. "I'll give you a little taster, to ensure you know I'm serious. Specially dedicated to the entire crew of the Enterprise. I'll tell you one of my many stories about James T Kirk."

Kirk feels his blood freeze. He wants to say something, anything, so stop this. But he can't make himself move.

"You all look at your captain like he's some kind of leader, a hero. You think he's so brave. But I've seen him crying and begging for death. I remember when we first got him and he had this tough expression on his face, and then it just crumpled. You know what number he was on the list? 7302. He was the 7302th person on my list of colonists in order of importance. That easily put him on the list to die. You think he's so great, but he couldn't even make it onto the half of the colonists that were necessary for survival! He was a piece of delinquent scum back then, and he still is; people don't change. He was 7032 then and he's 7032 now. I suppose you got the number removed, James?" Kodos taunts, looking down at Kirk like a he is prey. Kirk does not respond; he just glares. Kodos carries on, addressing the rest of the Enterprise again. "We held him down and branded him, marked him with what he was worth. You should have seen him scream and thrash as the room filled with the smell of burning flesh. He was crying and begging like-"

"I didn't get it removed." Kirk's voice is low and deadly. He has finally stopped the verbal onslaught against him, finally managed to speak. "I kept it. It's still an ugly fucking scar, and I often cover it up with cream. But not always." He rolls his shirt up slightly, without looking down, perhaps not even aware that he is doing it. Beneath the gold his skin is marred by the promised scar, faded but still present (because, honestly, something like that never leaves you whether or not the physical evidence is there or not); 7302. Kirk rubs the numbers almost affectionately, because they mean so much more to him then the pain caused when they were imposed on his skin and soul. Then Kirk gets the same predatory look on his face as Kodos has, and the next words he utters make everyone shiver slightly. "I'm going to kill you. I told you all those years ago, and I meant it. Fuck any deal you want to make. I will end you."

Kirk nods to Uhura and she cuts the transmission immediately, her face a picture of concern. Kirk barely registers it. There is that smell, the stench of death that permeates everything, and he can't breathe and there is no air and no air and God why is he still alive how is he still alive and why and his whole body hurts and his skin is tingling and where is the air there is no air…

"Calm down, Kirk." A soft voice says in his ear. He realises he is on the ground, on his knees, arms against the floor; his body a bridge that has crumpled due to wear and time and storms. He inhales deeply, trying to maintain control over himself. He cannot bear to look up at the bridge crew, now that they have seen him like this. He doesn't want any pity. He realises Uhura has her arm around him, and he is grateful for the unthreatening contact. He wants to move, to stand up and show he isn't weak, but he just needs a minute to pull himself back into the present.

When he finally stands, he realises his eyes are damp. He wipes the tears away, quickly, in shame. Then he finally allows himself to look at the rest of his bridge crew. He is glad McCoy is down in medical still, and didn't see him lose it. No doubt the doctor will be here as soon as he finishes the scheduled surgery he is undertaking.

The bridge crew are all watching him. But there is no pity in their faces. Instead they look angry, protective and determined. Like they are feeling the exact same thing as Kirk – aka let's go get this bastard.

"I am trawcing his signal, Captain." Chekov says, brave enough to speak up first. "Ve vill have him extwemely soon."

"Thank you Chekhov." Jim manages, although speaking is like sprinting up a hill with a rucksack full of bricks.

"It is unlikely that he is hiding," Spock observes. Kirk thinks he can detect the slightest bit of anger in his first officers tone, as though a little bit of emotion has made its way through. "For Starfleet to comply with his demands he must communicate with Starfleet at a higher level, and be transported back to Earth. The Enterprise is a logical choice for such action. Perhaps he believes that your emotional issues surrounding him will infringe on your judgement and cause you to resign your commission, allowing him to return on a disorganised ship. He broadcast ship wide to protect himself from any vindictive actions that you may secretly partake in. He assumes the crew will not be behind you, as you have not shared your past. This is a misjudgement. We are all behind you, captain."

"I'm emotionally compromised." Kirk manages, stating the obvious. He has no idea how Spock ran the ship when he felt this way, when he had just lost his planet and his mother.

"Never the less, it is illogical for you to resign command, as this was likely the plan of Kodos. Alternatively I suggest you allow yourself to calm down, and allow us to help you. You do not need to face Kodos. I will unofficially and temporarily retain command, if that is preferable to the official alternative for you?" Spock asks, and the warmth that that statement brings washes some of the ice away. Spock is willing to ignore regulation for him – for the Vulcan that's like a declaration of love. For a second Kirk remembers the moment, in the radiation chamber, when he saw the genuine affection that Spock felt for him.

"That is preferable, Spock. Thank you." Kirk says with a slight smile at his first officer. He hopes the incredible gratitude he is feeling comes through. "First though, can I check: is it possible to beam him directly onto the ship?" Kirk asks, not saying that name because even forming the word fills him with dread.

"Aye, captain." Chekov confirms.

"Then let's beam him onto the Enterprise, for transport back to Earth." Kirk says, in what he hopes is a commanding tone. He needs to set things in motion before Spock takes over.

"You just threatened to kill him, Kirk." Uhura says, still concerned. She knows him too well, and can tell when he isn't bluffing. "You sounded like you meant it."

"I'm not going to kill him Uhura. I'm going to go and have a sleep as soon as he is safe on this ship, and leave Spock in charge until we get that bastard off the Enterprise and back to Earth." Kirk says, as earnestly as possible. He thinks she believes him; or maybe she just wants to.

Kirk sits back in his chair in silence, alone with his thoughts, as the bridge crew work around him. He has to keep reminding himself to breathe. In a few hours, Kodos will be dead, and he can finally move on from the main horror of his childhood. As promised, Spock takes the lead, essentially running the ship, while Kirk just sits back and calms himself down. When he feels less light headed he takes out his padd and starts to make plans.

"Captain, Kodos is secured in the brig. We've plotted a course back to Earth." Sulu eventually says, looking at him searchingly. Kirk is touched that he is being kept in the loop. He likes this unofficial arrangement.

"Let's get going then." Kirk confirms, keeping his face blank, although really he supposes Spock should make the order.

"Do you wish to inform the crew of developments?" Spock asks, not at all put out.

"I… could someone else do it?" Kirk asks, looking up at Spock hopefully. His first officer understands immediately and nods, before going to perform the task.

"This is Commander Spock. We have beamed suspected war criminal Governor Kodos on board this ship, after he initiated communications with Starfleet. We are currently returning to Earth in order to deliver him into Starfleet custody. We should arrive at Earth in approximately seven hours. Please continue performing your duties."

"I'm going to go and sleep. Spock, you have the conn. Please just… just give me a while. I need some time. I'll be in my quarters." Kirk says, trying to look tired. His heart is pounding. He knows his crew will not allow him to carry out his plans, that they would not understand this need for revenge. Or maybe they would understand, but they would certainly not endorse it.

He is just getting to the door when Bones rushes in, panting heavily. Crap, he forgot about the doctor.

"Jim! Thank God."

"I'm alright Bones," Kirk says with exaggerated weariness, trying to inch past. "I'm just going to get some sleep."

"Don't move Jim," McCoy says, and the doctor just looks so tired.

"It is logical for the captain to rest after a draining experience," Spock says from behind him, looking over at McCoy in confusion.

"No. You don't understand," Bones says wearily, "He's going to kill Kodos."

What did you think? Please leave me a review letting me know your opinion – I would really appreciate it. I hope you enjoyed it, anyway. I'll try to update as soon as possible.