fic: Que Sera Sera (8/15)
Fandom: TOS/TNG/ST XI -slight AU where there isn’t a 16 year gap between the events of Generations and Star Trek 2009.
Pairings: Kirk Prime/McCoy Prime/Spock Prime, Kirk/Spock/McCoy, Scotty/Uhura
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: minor character death
Summary: Spock Prime went to save Romulus from a supernova and failed, leaving him in a universe that is similar and still so different from his own. Meanwhile in another part of the galaxy Kirk Prime was freed from the Nexus by Captain Picard and survived. Not believing that Spock Prime is dead Kirk Prime goes in search of him, and travels to the universe created when Nero went through the black hole. In that universe Kirk and Spock are starting on their five year mission, determined to write their own destinies after their encounters with Spock Prime. Unlike them McCoy doesn’t trust destiny as far as he can throw it, and he has his own problems to deal with, like getting custody of the three year old daughter he didn’t know he had.
Que Sera Sera
Pike folded his hands on the table.
“All right let me make sure I’ve got all this right. You two, after being pulled from some temporal Nexus, and saved from a transporter accident respectfully, have travelled here through a dimensional gateway that you won’t give me the coordinates of just to get him?”
“Yes, sir.”
Pike rubbed his temple, trying to fight off a headache. “Why do I get the feeling I’m going to be hearing all kinds of stories like this from my Enterprise?”
“Because you will,” McCoy muttered.
“Admiral Pike, you must believe us. We haven’t come here out of malice. We have been honest with you during this meeting, we only want him back,” Jim said.
Pike sighed “Well since you came here with nothing but the clothes on your backs and you’ve released all this information freely, and the Ambassador has verified what you’ve said, I don’t have any reason to keep you.”
He turned to Spock.
“They’re all yours, Ambassador, if you trust them.”
Spock nodded.
“I trust them with all that I am. Thank you for your consideration, Admiral Pike, if you need further communication with them or myself you may contact me.”
They left the room and Spock took Jim and McCoy swiftly and silently to the hotel where he was staying. No one dared to say a word until they reached the room and the door slid closed behind them; and then at last duty was no more.
Spock turned to his mates, his eyes shining, and embraced them fiercely.
“Jim, Leonard,” he whispered, his voice husky with emotion.
“Spock, you can’t know how much we’ve missed you,” McCoy said, his voice muffled in Spock’s neck.
“Come on you two let’s all sit down. It’s been a long day.”
Keeping themselves pressed tightly together they made their way awkwardly to the bed in the corner of the room. Jim staring at Spock while McCoy clung to Spock from behind, his arms firmly encircled around Spock’s chest.
Jim now took the time to inspect Spock closely, running his fingers through hair that had finally lost its midnight black shading, tracing the new lines on Spock’s face.
“Do I look so terribly old, Jim?”
“No, no I just…just let me look at you.”
Jim smiled at his old Vulcan friend, he was still so handsome. Cupping Spock’s chin Jim leaned in and kissed him softly, tasting salt from the tears running down their faces. “I love you,” he murmured.
“I love you too,” Spock whispered, “both of you.”
All three of them were tired and through years of dealing with Starfleet issued bunks they got themselves under the covers of the small bed and curled their arms and legs around each other comfortably.
“I can’t believe we still all remember how to do this,” Jim mused.
“And I see our time apart has not improved your taste in fashion, Doctor McCoy,” Spock said, referring to the brown fuzzy sweater and bright green pants McCoy had managed to cobble together from the lost and found clothing bin.
McCoy glared at Spock and sat up.
“Why you ungrateful green blooded calculator! We go through hell and back to find you and you have the nerve to-“
The rest of McCoy’s rant was drowned out by Jim’s laughter. He yanked the other two men back down on the bed, kissing every each inch of their skin he could reach. The joy he felt was almost overwhelming, they were truly one again at long last.
***
All that joy at being together again was undone the next morning at breakfast when Spock announced that he was not leaving to return to their rightful universe.
“Spock, you can’t be serious.”
“I have never been more serious, Jim, I am needed here.”
“But you heard us we’ve come to take you home. We went through all of this for you.”
“And I am grateful, Jim, please never doubt that, but you both heard me. Nero caused all of this because of me. I must fix what I can,” Spock said, getting up from the table and turning to stare out the hotel room window.
McCoy attempted to find some kind of compromise. “Spock does have a point, Jim. We’ve studied this universe we know what happened here, and now we know for sure that it was a man from own time that caused it. We can’t just ignore that. If we do, how would it be any different from standing by and dong nothing when men like Captain Tracey twisted helpless civilizations from their natural development for their own selfish gains?”
“But, Bones, we can’t fix this on our own, not even you can, Spock. The disturbance caused by Nero happened decades ago. The changes caused by that event would be infinite by now.”
“Yes, but the destruction of my home world by Nero happened not even six months ago. I cannot turn my back on the Vulcan race. I have a duty.”
Jim scowled, thinking back to Picard’s words in the Nexus. ‘You’re a Starfleet officer you have a duty.’ It seemed Jim wasn’t the only one still obsessed with it.
Before Jim could totally lose his temper McCoy cut in again. “All right let me make a suggestion then. We know time isn’t the same between this universe and our own. The last time we went through the Guardian weeks went by for you two while only moments passed in our own universe. What if we give this a few months, a year at the most? We’ll go to the colony with you, Spock, and do what we can. If no one feels differently at the end of that time then we’ll leave, Spock, and you can stay.”
Jim glared, but eventually nodded.
Spock turned to face his lovers fully.
“Agreed.”
So they prepared to go to the Vulcan to give their aid, never knowing that out in the stars above them they’re counterparts were headed to a colony themselves.
***
Kirk stood at the head of the table in the briefing room, his features tense and his eyes bright with emotion.
“We will arrive in three hours. Spock, has your team been able to make any progress?”
“Yes, Captain. Using the information obtained from the remains of the other colonies retrieved by the USS Defiant we have determined that Berthold rays are a type of radiation that causes living tissue to degenerate when exposed to them.”
“Can a landing party be beamed safely to the surface?”
“Yes, the tissue damage is not immediate. A party can retrieve whatever remains there without damage within a limited time frame.”
“Okay, Lieutenant Commander Giotto, assembly a team. We will go down once we reach standard orbit…and we will search for survivors.”
As the meeting adjourned Bones came over, placing a comforting hand on Kirk’s shoulder. Spock stood next to him, his hands clasped behind his back.
“Sometimes we have to do things that aren’t pleasant, Jim.”
“I know, Bones, but we’re supposed to be out here to keep things safe. Not pick up bodies because people rushed our here in the name of border security.”
“Berthold rays are a very recent scientific discovery, Captain. The colonists would have had no way of knowing of them, nor their effects.”
“That’s why they should have sent one our ships out here first so they would know!”
“Try not to take it so hard, like Spock said the effect isn’t immediate, Jim. There’s a good chance we can get them in time,” Bones said.
“How good of a chance?”
“A 25.46% for men and women of middle age. 12.45% chance of survival in those above the age of 80, again regardless of gender. Our latest reports indicate an 88.89% chance of lifetime complications in those who have survived and receive treatment,” Spock answered efficiently.
“What about for children?”
“Absolutely none.”
Well that was it then.
“Bones, make sure sickbay is ready to take on casualties. Spock, have your team double check all the findings and confirm the safety window. I don’t want any of the landing party affected.”
“Aye, sir.”
With that Spock and Bones left the room.
They went down the hallway to the turbolift and Bones waited until the doors of the lift slid shut before he ripped into the Vulcan.
“Excuse me, Commander, but just what the hell was that in there?!”
“I do not know what you are referring to, Doctor, I-“
“You retailed off those percentages like everyone in that colony are nothing but statistics! Those are real people we’re dealing with!”
“I am aware of that, Doctor, but the Captain only wished to know the odds of their survival, I provided them.”
“You said it like we’re going to find nothing down there but death and disease!”
“That is what is most probable, Doctor. Now if you will excuse me I must confirm my findings and make sure the away team is prepared for what we will encounter.”
Spock got off at the appropriate floor and the words “green-blooded bastard,” drifted after him as the lift doors slid shut.
***
The Enterprise arrived at Omicron Ceti III and the landing party beamed down. For a moment there was silence as they all took in the sight of nothing.
“There was supposed to be a settlement just over this ridge, sir,” Sulu said.
Kirk nodded and led the group over the hill. As they reached the top Kirk stopped short as he saw a man, a healthy looking man, walking over to them.
“Hello my name is Elias Sandoval. You must be a rescue team. I am sorry to trouble you, but our communications are down and we could not let anyone know that we didn’t need any assistance.”
Kirk just remained dumbstruck before remembering his manners and finally offering out his hand.
“I’m sorry, Mister Sandoval, but we weren’t expecting anyone to greet us I’m Captain Kirk.”
“Please to meet you, if you all would follow me I will show you our colony.”
Sandoval took the lead as he moved the group towards a small collection a buildings, a barn and some small modest cabins.
“Excuse me, Mister Sandoval,” Bones said, “but has anyone experienced any illness on the colony? We have received reports from colonies on the nearby planets that environmental radiation has caused terrible problems.”
“No, we are all fit as can be here.”
Bones frowned. “Well, I still would like to test everyone.”
“Of course if you will excuse me for a moment I will make sure there is space for to do so.”
Kirk nodded and Sandoval walked over and into the nearest cabin. With him gone Kirk, Bones, Spock, and the rest of the landing party took in the sight of two people lounging under a tree in the shade, a group of men drinking around a table, and a group of children playing hacky-sack nearby. It was amazing.
“Well this is just an educational guess, purely speculation, but in my opinion I’d say those people are alive,” Bones said, smiling and bouncing on his heels in delight. “I guess logical science isn’t so precise after all, right, Spock?”
“Science changes as new evidence becomes available. As a medical man you know this, Doctor; it is its nature.”
Spock looked over at the children and the strong stride Sandoval had in his step as he returned to them.
“However, this evidence is quite…extraordinary.”
“Could the reports have been wrong?” Kirk asked.
“Negative, Captain, my tricorder is recording Berthold rays as we speak. The forty-eight hour safety window is still in effect.”
Sandoval was still smiling at them though looking perfectly fine, and so thoroughly confused the group went inside the cabin.
“You may set up in here, Doctor McCoy.”
“Thank you.”
“Father, do our guests need anything?”
Kirk looked up at the young blonde woman who had just come in the room.
“No, we don’t, but thank you, Miss…”
“My apologies, Captain Kirk, I have forgotten my manners. May I introduce my daughter, Leila Kalomi.”
“Hello, I’m Captain Kirk this is Doctor McCoy and my first officer-“
“Spock.”
Kirk’s eyes went wide. As if the day hadn’t had enough shocks already Spock knew this girl?
She smiled brightly at the Vulcan “It has been a long time,” she said.
“Three years, seven months, and twelve days to be precise,” Spock replied.
A faint blush of red came to her cheeks. “You remember.”
Kirk looked at Spock and Spock found it necessary to explain the nature of their relationship before someone got the wrong idea. Leila was clearly still…pinning.
“She was a member of a botanical company on an internship, Captain. As a cadet my class went there as part of an assignment.”
Bones fought the urge to roll his eyes. “Well as…fascinating as that all is, Mister Spock, I’d like to begin checking over all the colonists.”
“While he does that I can show you our crops, Spock.”
Spock nodded stiffly and followed Leila outside.
She took him to the small field next to the barn and Spock ran his tricorder over the crops.
“There is nothing,” he announced. “Not even insects. Yet your plants grow and you have not suffered from the Berthold rays.”
“That can be explained.”
“Please do.”
She led Spock to the edge of the field where strange flowers were growing near one of the fence posts. As Spock bent down to study them closely one of the flowers suddenly shot large sized spores into the air. Spock inhaled some of them and crumbled to the ground groaning in pain.
Leila dropped to her knees beside him. “I-I don’t understand it never hurt us.”
“I am not like you.”
Then just as suddenly as the pain started it stopped as if everything was simply washed away and replaced by a feeling of euphoria.
“Leila, I-I love you. I can love you.”
Chapter 9
Pairings: Kirk Prime/McCoy Prime/Spock Prime, Kirk/Spock/McCoy, Scotty/Uhura
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: minor character death
Summary: Spock Prime went to save Romulus from a supernova and failed, leaving him in a universe that is similar and still so different from his own. Meanwhile in another part of the galaxy Kirk Prime was freed from the Nexus by Captain Picard and survived. Not believing that Spock Prime is dead Kirk Prime goes in search of him, and travels to the universe created when Nero went through the black hole. In that universe Kirk and Spock are starting on their five year mission, determined to write their own destinies after their encounters with Spock Prime. Unlike them McCoy doesn’t trust destiny as far as he can throw it, and he has his own problems to deal with, like getting custody of the three year old daughter he didn’t know he had.
Que Sera Sera
Pike folded his hands on the table.
“All right let me make sure I’ve got all this right. You two, after being pulled from some temporal Nexus, and saved from a transporter accident respectfully, have travelled here through a dimensional gateway that you won’t give me the coordinates of just to get him?”
“Yes, sir.”
Pike rubbed his temple, trying to fight off a headache. “Why do I get the feeling I’m going to be hearing all kinds of stories like this from my Enterprise?”
“Because you will,” McCoy muttered.
“Admiral Pike, you must believe us. We haven’t come here out of malice. We have been honest with you during this meeting, we only want him back,” Jim said.
Pike sighed “Well since you came here with nothing but the clothes on your backs and you’ve released all this information freely, and the Ambassador has verified what you’ve said, I don’t have any reason to keep you.”
He turned to Spock.
“They’re all yours, Ambassador, if you trust them.”
Spock nodded.
“I trust them with all that I am. Thank you for your consideration, Admiral Pike, if you need further communication with them or myself you may contact me.”
They left the room and Spock took Jim and McCoy swiftly and silently to the hotel where he was staying. No one dared to say a word until they reached the room and the door slid closed behind them; and then at last duty was no more.
Spock turned to his mates, his eyes shining, and embraced them fiercely.
“Jim, Leonard,” he whispered, his voice husky with emotion.
“Spock, you can’t know how much we’ve missed you,” McCoy said, his voice muffled in Spock’s neck.
“Come on you two let’s all sit down. It’s been a long day.”
Keeping themselves pressed tightly together they made their way awkwardly to the bed in the corner of the room. Jim staring at Spock while McCoy clung to Spock from behind, his arms firmly encircled around Spock’s chest.
Jim now took the time to inspect Spock closely, running his fingers through hair that had finally lost its midnight black shading, tracing the new lines on Spock’s face.
“Do I look so terribly old, Jim?”
“No, no I just…just let me look at you.”
Jim smiled at his old Vulcan friend, he was still so handsome. Cupping Spock’s chin Jim leaned in and kissed him softly, tasting salt from the tears running down their faces. “I love you,” he murmured.
“I love you too,” Spock whispered, “both of you.”
All three of them were tired and through years of dealing with Starfleet issued bunks they got themselves under the covers of the small bed and curled their arms and legs around each other comfortably.
“I can’t believe we still all remember how to do this,” Jim mused.
“And I see our time apart has not improved your taste in fashion, Doctor McCoy,” Spock said, referring to the brown fuzzy sweater and bright green pants McCoy had managed to cobble together from the lost and found clothing bin.
McCoy glared at Spock and sat up.
“Why you ungrateful green blooded calculator! We go through hell and back to find you and you have the nerve to-“
The rest of McCoy’s rant was drowned out by Jim’s laughter. He yanked the other two men back down on the bed, kissing every each inch of their skin he could reach. The joy he felt was almost overwhelming, they were truly one again at long last.
***
All that joy at being together again was undone the next morning at breakfast when Spock announced that he was not leaving to return to their rightful universe.
“Spock, you can’t be serious.”
“I have never been more serious, Jim, I am needed here.”
“But you heard us we’ve come to take you home. We went through all of this for you.”
“And I am grateful, Jim, please never doubt that, but you both heard me. Nero caused all of this because of me. I must fix what I can,” Spock said, getting up from the table and turning to stare out the hotel room window.
McCoy attempted to find some kind of compromise. “Spock does have a point, Jim. We’ve studied this universe we know what happened here, and now we know for sure that it was a man from own time that caused it. We can’t just ignore that. If we do, how would it be any different from standing by and dong nothing when men like Captain Tracey twisted helpless civilizations from their natural development for their own selfish gains?”
“But, Bones, we can’t fix this on our own, not even you can, Spock. The disturbance caused by Nero happened decades ago. The changes caused by that event would be infinite by now.”
“Yes, but the destruction of my home world by Nero happened not even six months ago. I cannot turn my back on the Vulcan race. I have a duty.”
Jim scowled, thinking back to Picard’s words in the Nexus. ‘You’re a Starfleet officer you have a duty.’ It seemed Jim wasn’t the only one still obsessed with it.
Before Jim could totally lose his temper McCoy cut in again. “All right let me make a suggestion then. We know time isn’t the same between this universe and our own. The last time we went through the Guardian weeks went by for you two while only moments passed in our own universe. What if we give this a few months, a year at the most? We’ll go to the colony with you, Spock, and do what we can. If no one feels differently at the end of that time then we’ll leave, Spock, and you can stay.”
Jim glared, but eventually nodded.
Spock turned to face his lovers fully.
“Agreed.”
So they prepared to go to the Vulcan to give their aid, never knowing that out in the stars above them they’re counterparts were headed to a colony themselves.
***
Kirk stood at the head of the table in the briefing room, his features tense and his eyes bright with emotion.
“We will arrive in three hours. Spock, has your team been able to make any progress?”
“Yes, Captain. Using the information obtained from the remains of the other colonies retrieved by the USS Defiant we have determined that Berthold rays are a type of radiation that causes living tissue to degenerate when exposed to them.”
“Can a landing party be beamed safely to the surface?”
“Yes, the tissue damage is not immediate. A party can retrieve whatever remains there without damage within a limited time frame.”
“Okay, Lieutenant Commander Giotto, assembly a team. We will go down once we reach standard orbit…and we will search for survivors.”
As the meeting adjourned Bones came over, placing a comforting hand on Kirk’s shoulder. Spock stood next to him, his hands clasped behind his back.
“Sometimes we have to do things that aren’t pleasant, Jim.”
“I know, Bones, but we’re supposed to be out here to keep things safe. Not pick up bodies because people rushed our here in the name of border security.”
“Berthold rays are a very recent scientific discovery, Captain. The colonists would have had no way of knowing of them, nor their effects.”
“That’s why they should have sent one our ships out here first so they would know!”
“Try not to take it so hard, like Spock said the effect isn’t immediate, Jim. There’s a good chance we can get them in time,” Bones said.
“How good of a chance?”
“A 25.46% for men and women of middle age. 12.45% chance of survival in those above the age of 80, again regardless of gender. Our latest reports indicate an 88.89% chance of lifetime complications in those who have survived and receive treatment,” Spock answered efficiently.
“What about for children?”
“Absolutely none.”
Well that was it then.
“Bones, make sure sickbay is ready to take on casualties. Spock, have your team double check all the findings and confirm the safety window. I don’t want any of the landing party affected.”
“Aye, sir.”
With that Spock and Bones left the room.
They went down the hallway to the turbolift and Bones waited until the doors of the lift slid shut before he ripped into the Vulcan.
“Excuse me, Commander, but just what the hell was that in there?!”
“I do not know what you are referring to, Doctor, I-“
“You retailed off those percentages like everyone in that colony are nothing but statistics! Those are real people we’re dealing with!”
“I am aware of that, Doctor, but the Captain only wished to know the odds of their survival, I provided them.”
“You said it like we’re going to find nothing down there but death and disease!”
“That is what is most probable, Doctor. Now if you will excuse me I must confirm my findings and make sure the away team is prepared for what we will encounter.”
Spock got off at the appropriate floor and the words “green-blooded bastard,” drifted after him as the lift doors slid shut.
***
The Enterprise arrived at Omicron Ceti III and the landing party beamed down. For a moment there was silence as they all took in the sight of nothing.
“There was supposed to be a settlement just over this ridge, sir,” Sulu said.
Kirk nodded and led the group over the hill. As they reached the top Kirk stopped short as he saw a man, a healthy looking man, walking over to them.
“Hello my name is Elias Sandoval. You must be a rescue team. I am sorry to trouble you, but our communications are down and we could not let anyone know that we didn’t need any assistance.”
Kirk just remained dumbstruck before remembering his manners and finally offering out his hand.
“I’m sorry, Mister Sandoval, but we weren’t expecting anyone to greet us I’m Captain Kirk.”
“Please to meet you, if you all would follow me I will show you our colony.”
Sandoval took the lead as he moved the group towards a small collection a buildings, a barn and some small modest cabins.
“Excuse me, Mister Sandoval,” Bones said, “but has anyone experienced any illness on the colony? We have received reports from colonies on the nearby planets that environmental radiation has caused terrible problems.”
“No, we are all fit as can be here.”
Bones frowned. “Well, I still would like to test everyone.”
“Of course if you will excuse me for a moment I will make sure there is space for to do so.”
Kirk nodded and Sandoval walked over and into the nearest cabin. With him gone Kirk, Bones, Spock, and the rest of the landing party took in the sight of two people lounging under a tree in the shade, a group of men drinking around a table, and a group of children playing hacky-sack nearby. It was amazing.
“Well this is just an educational guess, purely speculation, but in my opinion I’d say those people are alive,” Bones said, smiling and bouncing on his heels in delight. “I guess logical science isn’t so precise after all, right, Spock?”
“Science changes as new evidence becomes available. As a medical man you know this, Doctor; it is its nature.”
Spock looked over at the children and the strong stride Sandoval had in his step as he returned to them.
“However, this evidence is quite…extraordinary.”
“Could the reports have been wrong?” Kirk asked.
“Negative, Captain, my tricorder is recording Berthold rays as we speak. The forty-eight hour safety window is still in effect.”
Sandoval was still smiling at them though looking perfectly fine, and so thoroughly confused the group went inside the cabin.
“You may set up in here, Doctor McCoy.”
“Thank you.”
“Father, do our guests need anything?”
Kirk looked up at the young blonde woman who had just come in the room.
“No, we don’t, but thank you, Miss…”
“My apologies, Captain Kirk, I have forgotten my manners. May I introduce my daughter, Leila Kalomi.”
“Hello, I’m Captain Kirk this is Doctor McCoy and my first officer-“
“Spock.”
Kirk’s eyes went wide. As if the day hadn’t had enough shocks already Spock knew this girl?
She smiled brightly at the Vulcan “It has been a long time,” she said.
“Three years, seven months, and twelve days to be precise,” Spock replied.
A faint blush of red came to her cheeks. “You remember.”
Kirk looked at Spock and Spock found it necessary to explain the nature of their relationship before someone got the wrong idea. Leila was clearly still…pinning.
“She was a member of a botanical company on an internship, Captain. As a cadet my class went there as part of an assignment.”
Bones fought the urge to roll his eyes. “Well as…fascinating as that all is, Mister Spock, I’d like to begin checking over all the colonists.”
“While he does that I can show you our crops, Spock.”
Spock nodded stiffly and followed Leila outside.
She took him to the small field next to the barn and Spock ran his tricorder over the crops.
“There is nothing,” he announced. “Not even insects. Yet your plants grow and you have not suffered from the Berthold rays.”
“That can be explained.”
“Please do.”
She led Spock to the edge of the field where strange flowers were growing near one of the fence posts. As Spock bent down to study them closely one of the flowers suddenly shot large sized spores into the air. Spock inhaled some of them and crumbled to the ground groaning in pain.
Leila dropped to her knees beside him. “I-I don’t understand it never hurt us.”
“I am not like you.”
Then just as suddenly as the pain started it stopped as if everything was simply washed away and replaced by a feeling of euphoria.
“Leila, I-I love you. I can love you.”
Chapter 9