Title: the field remains in my heart (12-22/33)
Author: tenshi_nanashi
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Fandom: Star Trek XI (2009)
Pairings/Characters: George Kirk, Chris Pike--preslash (come on, they live together and raise children!), also some kirk/mccoy and kirk/spock undertones.
Rating: pg-13
Warnings: character death, possibly ruining your keyboard by spilling or spitting drink on it due to laughing. swearing, AU-ness, and lots of manly passing out (kudos to those who got that reference).
Spoilers: The movie...that's about it. And if you haven't seen it yet...why are you reading this?!
AN: It's a fill for a prompt on the st_xi_kink_meme. Also, I geeked out and changed the history of the Nero incident to fit my own goals and I'm quite happy with the results. Go me!
Summary: The Doctor's face is grim. “I'm saying that I don't have enough equipment here...I may lose both of them if I don't operate, but if I do operate...it might be more than your wife's body can take.”
12
Chris isn't quite sure what to make of Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy the first time Jim brings the man back home for the holiday. Leonard is a gruff yet compassionate individual who has the feel of a man ill used. Jim's messages mentioned bitter divorce and a young daughter...
“Leonard, would you like some more pie?”
Leonard nods. “Yes, thank you. Haven't had pie this good in a long while.”
“Thanks, I created the recipe when Jim was going through puberty. George and I needed all the desserts we could get.” He chuckles.
George stares at Leonard sternly from across the table, arms folded in typical intimidation style.
Chris clears his throat, “George, why don't we go make some tea?”
George reluctantly stands and they head to the kitchen.
“You are acting like Leonard is some escaped criminal.”
“I don't like it.”
“What?”
“He's too old to...”
“To be friends with Jim?”
George pouts. “Maybe.”
Chris sighs. George is an obstinate man...too bullheaded at times. “Just try and be civil. No more glaring.”
George cracks a smile, “Aw, but mom--”
“Don't start!”
“I just worry. Jim's my baby boy.”
“I know.” He pauses. “But I don't think Jim is in any danger from that man. Leonard may seem prickly, but I can tell that he's a good man. And he's one of the best doctors in Starfleet.”
“I've heard.”
“Just give him a chance. He's going to have his hands full trying to keep Jim out of trouble.”
George grins, “You're right...the poor bastard.”
13
George is the one who fields the call from the Academy after Jim pulls a Chris to beat a unbeatable simulation. He looks at the clearly concerned Admiral on the vidscreen in front of him and starts cracking up.
“Captain Kirk! This is a very serious matter. Your son is facing suspension...possibly even expulsion.”
George tries to straighten out and stop laughing but can't help but chuckle again as soon as he sees the vein throbbing in the Admiral's forehead.
“What is so funny?” Chris asks from behind him.
He turns and gestures at the screen, “Oh. You know the Kobayashi Maru?”
“The unwinnable scenario?” Chris stops. “He didn't.”
“He did.”
A smile starts to form on Chris' face. “Guess he paid attention to the lessons I taught him after all.”
“They are going to have a hearing about it...accusing him of---well, cheating.”
“How did he do it?”
“Subroutine.” George tilts his head, “And possibly hacking.”
“Great.”
“Excuse me?!”
They turn to the (now very red) Admiral who gives them a furious and incredulous look.
“I told Jim, in a no-win situation---change the rules. Be original.”
“But...he---condoning, surely you know...”
Chris' chin raises proudly. “I bet that you end up giving him a commendation for original thinking by the time the hearing concludes.”
“We have never--”
George smiles, “There's a first time for everything.”
The sputtering Admiral is then left alone as the two laughing parents leave to go celebrate with a little alcohol.
14
Starfleet couldn't have kept George and Chris away from Jim's hearing for anything. And they were not above using George's hero status as their ticket in. They enter just in time to hear Jim say, “I believe I have the right to face my accuser.”
A Vulcan stands up towards the back of the room.
Chris groans a little.
“What?” George whispers.
“That's Commander Spock.”
“Your first officer for the five year mission?”
“Yeah.”
George frowns. “Let's hope Jim did his homework before getting creative with the test.”
Chris turns his attention back to the hearing.
“---Commander?”
“Cadet Kirk, you somehow managed to install and activate a subroutine in the programming code, thereby changing the conditions of the test.”
“I did.”
Admiral Barnett looks at Jim incredulously. “In academic vernacular, you cheated.”
Jim ignores the Admiral and turns to Spock. “The test itself is a cheat, isn't it? I mean you program it to be unwinnable.”
“Your argument precludes the possibility of a no-win scenario.”
“I don't believe in no-win scenarios.”
“Then not only did you violate the rules, you also fail to understand the principal lesson.”
“Please, enlighten me.”
“The purpose is to experience fear, fear in the face of certain death, to accept that fear, and maintain control of oneself and one's crew. This is the quality expected in every Starfleet captain.”
“I don't believe that a Captain should just accept certain death.” Jim looks Spock in the eyes, “A true Captain does everything they can to limit loss of life...including bending the rules---or they aren't worthy of their title!”
There is silence from the Admirals, Spock, and the Cadets in the crowd.
“And I didn't cheat. The instructions did not prohibit changing the parameters of the simulation. I leaned heavily on the rules, I bent them, but I didn't break them.”
Spock reluctantly says, “Cadet Kirk's logic is sound---”
“Yeah!”
Chris' eyes go wide. He yanks George back down after the man's proud-father exclamation.
Spock raises an eyebrow.
“We've received a distress call from Vulcan.”
Chris looks over at George. “I've got to get to the Enterprise.”
George nods. “Guess so, Captain.”
“I'll see you later.”
“Yeah.”
15
George catches sight of Dr. McCoy leading his weaving son towards the shuttle for Enterprise. He almost shrugs it off, but then remembers that Jim is still grounded pending the outcome of the hearing. He frowns as he meanders over.
“Medical code states the treatment and transport of a patient is to be determined at the discretion of his attending physician. Which is me! So I'm taking Mr. Kirk aboard. Or---”
George calls out, “Hey, it's okay---they're with me.”
The security officer snaps into a salute, “Yes, Captain Kirk!”
George grabs Jim's other side, “When did Chris teach Leonard about changing the rules when you hit a no-win scenario?”
“I don't feel so good.”
Leonard says, “That one, I learned on my own.”
“Let's find a seat.”
“Uh, sir. Are you supposed to---”
“Nope.”
Leonard nods. “Okay then.”
He grins, “Won't Chris be surprised.”
“That's one way of putting it, Sir.”
16
Chris order “Maximum warp, punch it” with a small smirk.
“Yes, Sir.”
The young Helmsman pushes the level for warp. Nothing happens. Everyone glances around the room.
“Lieutenant, where's helmsman McKenna?”
“He has lungworm, sir. He couldn't report to his post. I'm Hikaru Sulu.”
“And you are a pilot, right?”
“Yes, very much so, Sir. Uh, I'm not sure what's wrong here...”
Chris can't help but sarcastically ask, “Is the parking brake on?”
Sulu chuckles a little nervously while hitting buttons, “Uh, no Sir. I'll figure it out.”
“Have you disengaged the external inertial dampener?” Spock asks evenly.
Sulu stops and hits a few buttons without looking at anyone. “Ready for warp, Sir.”
Chris says, “Let's punch it.”
“Take two” a familiar voice says.
Chris spins in his chair. “George?”
“Hi, honey, I'm home.”
“What are you doing here?”
“Currently? Trying not to laugh hysterically at your helmsman...don't want to permanently embarrass him, it'll scar him for life...he'll get a complex.”
Chris gapes. “George!”
“Mr. Kirk, I would ask---”
George cuts off Spock, “Hello, Mr. Spock. Live long and prosper. I would do the hand salute but my fingers just don't---”
Chris snaps. “George Kirk, you tell me what you are doing on my ship, this instant.”
“Whoa. Yes, mother.” George smirks, “Did you know that Leonard McCoy is also of your questionable morals when it comes to no-win situations?”
“What?” Chris stops. “He...Jim...He didn't.”
George grins. “He did.”
“And you didn't stop them!”
“What was I supposed to do? He's Jim's physician and Jim needed medical care.”
“What?!”
“Was Cadet Kirk injured?” Spock asks.
“What? No, just really sick.”
Chris lifts his head to look George in the eye, “Was he sick before Leonard got a hold of him?”
George laughs, “Now that would be telling.”
17
George stays on the bridge for as long as Chris (and the rule-abiding Spock) will let him, but they eventually kick him out. He is minding his own business when he spots his son, Leonard, and another Cadet running through the hall. He follows them out of curiosity. They head for the bridge.
Jim yells “Dad!” before realizing that one doesn't call their commanding officer dad and correcting with “Captain Pike, Sir, we have to stop the ship.”
“Captain this man is under the influence of a severe reaction of a Melvaran flea vaccine, completely---”
“Bones!”
“delusional. I take full responsibility.”
“Vulcan is not experiencing a natural disaster! It's being attacked by Romulans.”
“Romulans? Jim, I think you've have enough excitement for one day...”
Jim cuts in, “That same anomaly was---”
“Cadet Kirk is not cleared to be aboard this vessel.”
“Neither am I!” George chimes in helpfully.
George's interruption only stops them for a second. Jim and Spock glance at him before continuing.
“I can escort the Cadet to med---”
Jim snaps, “This Cadet is trying to save the bridge.”
“By recommending a full stop mid-warp during a rescue mission?”
“That same anomaly, a lightning storm in space that we saw today, also occurred on the day of my birth before a Romulan ship attacked the USS Kelvin. The Kelvin attack took place on the edge of Klingon space, and at twenty-three hundred hours last night, there was an attack. Forty-seven Klingon warbirds destroyed by Romulans. It was reported that the Romulans were in one ship, one massive ship.”
George can't help but start swearing in the background. He remembers the attack quite well. It was during that time that his Captain was killed and he became Captain. It was during that attack that Winona died and Jim was born.
Chris asks, “And you know of this Klingon attack, how?”
“Sir, I intercepted and translated the message myself. Kirk's report is accurate,” Uhura reports.
Jim looks at Chris and Spock. “We're warping into a trap. The Romulans are waiting for us.”
“The Cadet's logic is sound. And Lieutenant Uhura is unmatched in xenolinguistics, we would be wise to accept her conclusion.”
George mutters to himself about how no Vulcan has ever said he has sound logic...and Jim's gotten it twice!
Chris goes to red alert.
18
Chris doesn't have time to really register the catastrophic loss of life---half the fleet, all those Cadets...gone.
Uhura says, “Captain, we're being hailed.”
The Captain of the enemy ship says, “Hello.”
George hisses in the background, but he can't focus on that.
“I'm Captain Christopher Pike. To whom am I speaking?”
“Hi Christopher, I'm Nero.”
Despite being a bit pissed off, he decides to try diplomacy...mostly because he doesn't have a lot of other options. “You've declared war against the Federation. Withdraw. I'll agree to arrange a conference with Romulan leadership at a neutral location.”
“I do not speak for the Empire. We stand apart, as does your Vulcan crewmember, isn't that right, Spock?”
“Pardon me, I do not believe that you and I are acquainted?” There is an icy edge to Spock's voice.
“No, we're not. Not yet. Spock, there's something I would like you to see. Captain Pike, your transporter has been disabled. As you can see by the rest of your armada, you have no choice. You will man a shuttle, come aboard the Narada, for negotiations. That is all.”
Jim says, “He'll kill you, you know that.”
George tries, “Remember Captain Robau...”
Spock states, “Your survival is unlikely.”
“Captain, we gain nothing by diplomacy. Going over to that ship is a mistake.”
“Chris, Captain Robau!”
“I, too, agree. You should re-think your strategy.”
He finally cuts through their protests, “I understand that. I need officers who have been trained in advanced hand-to-hand combat.”
“I have training, Sir.” Sulu volunteers.
“Come with me. Jim, George, you too. You're both not supposed to be here anyway. Chekov, you have the conn.”
By the time they reach engineering, Chris has a more solid plan in his head, although it pains him that it puts his best friend and son in danger.
He says, “Without transporters, we can't beam off the ship, we can't assist Vulcan, we can't do our job. Mister Kirk, Mister Sulu, and George, will space-jump from the shuttle. You will land on that machine they lowered into the atmosphere that's scrambling our gear. You'll disable it, then you'll beam back to the ship. Mister Spock, I'm leaving you in command of the Enterprise. Once we have transport capabilities, communications back up, you'll contact Starfleet, report what the hell's going on here. And if all else fails, fall back, rendezvous with the fleet in the Laurentian system. Cadet Kirk, I'm promoting you to first officer.”
“What?” Jim looks at him in confusion.
Spock hesitantly says, “Captain, I---”
He smiles, “I'm not the Captain, you are. Let's go.”
“Sir, after we knock out that drill, what happens to you?”
“Oh, I guess you'll have to come and get me. Careful with the ship, Spock. She's brand new.”
George whispers “Chris...”
“I'll be fine. Stop the drill.”
19
George feels like he's trapped in a nightmare. The same ship, same man who killed his Captain, crew, and sweet Winona...back to attack the Vulcans. He feels righteous anger rise to the surface of his being.
“Shuttle eight nine, USS Enterprise. You are cleared forward.”
“You got the charges right?”
George raises an eyebrow, “No, son, I decided we didn't need them and left them behind.”
Jim glares for a second before turning to Sulu. “So, what kind of combat training do you have?”
“Fencing.”
George mouths 'fencing' to himself.
“You are clear from USS Enterprise airspace.”
“Gentlemen, we're approaching the drop zone. You have one shot to land on that platform. You may have to fix this to pull your 'chute as late as possible. Three... two... one. Remember, the Enterprise won't be able to beam you back until you turn off that drill. Good luck.”
A lever is pulled. They fall.
Jim says, “Kirk to Enterprise. Distance to target, five thousand meters.”
“Forty-two hundred meters to target.” Sulu reports.
“Four thousand meters.”
“Three thousand meters.”
“Two thousand meters.”
Sulu calls, “Pull your Shute.”
George pulls his shute and lands on the drill platform. He sees Jim land safe as well before they are both attacked by Romulans. George sees Jim struggling with one of the Romulan with a weapon. Sulu's shute gets damaged by random shots that go off, but the young Lieutenant manages to make it onto the platform. George is a little surprised to see a retractable sword is Sulu's choice of weapon, but the kid did say 'fencing.'
George fights off a Romulan long enough to see Sulu helping his son up from hanging precariously over the edge of the platform. George moves to get the charges from where the pack lays on the ledge of the platform. A sound alerts him to a strange looking object being dropped from the enemy vessel. He doesn't think, he leaps, and manages to catch it before opening his shute again to try and keep it from propelling itself downwards. It struggle in his grasp, and he just barely manages to hook his wrist comm onto it as it escapes him.
He looks up to see his son yelling something into a communicator. The planet's surface is coming up too fast, he thinks he may die this time. He wonders if his son understood what he had just done, tried to do...that his son remembers that the comm can be locked onto by the transporter. He hits the planet Vulcan feet first and hears his leg snap before blacking out.
20
Chris is not having a good day. He just sent his best friend and his adoptive son on what could be a futile attempt to delay the inevitable. He can only hope they succeeded. That might make what is about to happen much more palatable.
Nero begins the interrogation, “You must have a lot of questions for me. I only have one for you. I need the subspace frequencies of Starfleet's border protection grids. Specifically, those surrounding Earth. Christopher, answer my question.”
“No. You just tried to commit genocide.”
“I tried to prevent genocide! In my time, where I come from, this is a simple mining vessel. I chose a life of honest labor, to provide for myself and the wife who was expecting my child. I was off-planet, doing my job, while your Federation did nothing and allowed my people to burn while my planet broke in half. And Spock, he didn't help us. He betrayed us.”
“No, no, you're confused. You've been misinformed. Romulus hasn't been destroyed. It's out there right now. You're blaming the Federation for something that hasn't happened.” Chris is appalled by the Romulan's apparent madness.
“It has happened! I watched it happen! I saw it happen! Don't tell me it didn't happen! And when I lost her, I promised myself retribution. And for twenty-five years, I planned my revenge against the Federation, and forgot what it was like to live a normal life. I did not forget the pain. That's the pain I wanted every Vulcan to share. My purpose, Christopher, is to not simply avoid the destruction of the home that I love, but to create a Romulus that exists free of the Federation. You see, only then will she be truly saved. That is why I will destroy all the remaining Federation planets, starting with yours. It's just a bonus that I know it will hurt the fools who managed to delay my revenge against Spock.”
Chris knows that eventually he will break, but until that time...he decides not to make it easy on the murdering son of a bitch. “Then we have nothing left to discuss.”
Nero grabs a creature with a pair of tongs. “You will give me the frequencies to disable Earth's defenses. Centaurian slugs. They latch onto your brainstem, and release a toxin that will force you to answer. Frequencies please, sir.”
Chris glares defiantly. “Christopher Pike, Captain, USS Enterprise, serial number---”
“As you wish.”
The Romulans force his mouth open to insert the slug, and he lets himself scream.
21
George wakes up in a bed. He realizes he's in pain before remembering why that is.
“You're awake. I wasn't certain when you would come to. You broke your left leg in several places, got a concussion from hitting your head, and fractured your right arm. Not to mention the bruises and lacerations covering your body.”
He looks up to see a woman with a scarf around her head.
“Where am I?”
“A Vulcan medical facility.”
He starts at this, “I...this is Vulcan?”
“Yes. You managed to stick your wrist communicator to the weapon and your son had it beamed on board before it could get out of transporter range.”
“On board the Enterprise?!”
“They did not allow it to rematerialize.”
“Oh. That's okay then.”
She smiles warmly at him, “They destroyed the drill. The Enterprise figured out what the Romulans were trying to do, and your son recommended that we collapse the hole in the surface while the Enterprise held off the Narada.”
“That's great!”
She shakes her head. “I'm afraid that since drilling again would allow our ships time to arrive here, the Narada is now on its way to Earth.”
“No.”
“The Enterprise has gone to prevent that tragedy.” She shakes her head ruefully, “There was only time for a brief talk with the Enterprise before my son had to go after the Romulan ship.”
“Your son...you're Amanda Grayson, aren't you?”
“Yes.”
He winces, “I didn't introduce myself or ask your name. I've been very rude, and you---you've been very kind.”
“You saved Vulcan and its people. You can be rude if you wish, although you haven't been anything other than a perfect gentlemen, in my opinion.”
“God, that was close. A whole planet!” He laughs a little hysterically, “I think I hate Romulans.”
“You do seem to have rather bad luck with them, don't you?”
“Yeah, killing my wife, taking my best frie---”
“What is it?”
His eyes are wide, “Chris! Chris Pike, is he still on that ship?”
Amanda's eyes dull a bit as she nods.
“Oh, God. Chris.” George falls into despair.
Amanda's arms come around him as he cries, and she may be the only reason he isn't collapsed on the floor sobbing out his pain.
22
Chris can feel the creature's toxin begin to work. Nero asks for the codes to get past Earth's defenses. He doesn't want to answer, doesn't want to betray his people, but the words fall loosely from his lips. Tears stream down his cheeks and he wonders if biting his own tongue off would do any good. The only thing that stops him is the realization that he has already told them what they want to know...biting off his tongue won't stop them from destroying his home planet.
Nero thanks him for his assistance before rushing off. He tries not to think about what Nero is planning. He tries not to think of anything, but finds that too difficult and gives up. He lays in pain and thinks about George and Sam and Jim and...oh God, he left the Enterprise to a bunch of young punks. What can they do against the sheer madness of Nero? And most of the fleet is in the Laurentian system, which is too far away to be much help. He feels despair settle in.
His lips move in a silent prayer. He prays that the Kirk family has another miracle up their sleeves. He just knows George and Jim were the ones responsible for stopping Nero's plan to destroy Vulcan. When they put their minds to it, the Kirks are a force to be reckoned with, and all he can do is hope that they stop Nero before it's too late. He halfheartedly hopes to be rescued in the near future, before the slug thing kills him or does too much damage to his brain. He really hopes his mind and body remain mostly intact.
He hears a noise but disregards it. Throughout his suffering, Romulan guards come and go. They are silent and watch him intently. Have they never seen a human before or are they looking for the effects of the slug...
God, he hates Romulans.
And boy, is he in pain. Everything sort of throbs and stabs and...hurts. He hates it. He really wonders why he isn't dead yet. He gave them the codes. That is probably the extent of his usefulness to them. They should have killed him after he gave over the codes, but he is still in horrendous amounts of pain...so most likely still alive. Either that or he is in purgatory paying for all those times he bent the rules. Could be Hell...it sure is warm enough here to be Hell, but this sure better not be Heaven or he's changing his religion.
The Romulans begin to talk to each other and sneer at him. He gathers from the gestures and facial expressions that they are making bets about him. He thinks the bets are about when he will die. He can't seem to summon up much in response to that. He wishes he knew enough Romulan to put in his own bet.
He doesn't think he's going to last much longer.
tbc...
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Fandom: Star Trek XI (2009)
Pairings/Characters: George Kirk, Chris Pike--preslash (come on, they live together and raise children!), also some kirk/mccoy and kirk/spock undertones.
Rating: pg-13
Warnings: character death, possibly ruining your keyboard by spilling or spitting drink on it due to laughing. swearing, AU-ness, and lots of manly passing out (kudos to those who got that reference).
Spoilers: The movie...that's about it. And if you haven't seen it yet...why are you reading this?!
AN: It's a fill for a prompt on the st_xi_kink_meme. Also, I geeked out and changed the history of the Nero incident to fit my own goals and I'm quite happy with the results. Go me!
Summary: The Doctor's face is grim. “I'm saying that I don't have enough equipment here...I may lose both of them if I don't operate, but if I do operate...it might be more than your wife's body can take.”
12
Chris isn't quite sure what to make of Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy the first time Jim brings the man back home for the holiday. Leonard is a gruff yet compassionate individual who has the feel of a man ill used. Jim's messages mentioned bitter divorce and a young daughter...
“Leonard, would you like some more pie?”
Leonard nods. “Yes, thank you. Haven't had pie this good in a long while.”
“Thanks, I created the recipe when Jim was going through puberty. George and I needed all the desserts we could get.” He chuckles.
George stares at Leonard sternly from across the table, arms folded in typical intimidation style.
Chris clears his throat, “George, why don't we go make some tea?”
George reluctantly stands and they head to the kitchen.
“You are acting like Leonard is some escaped criminal.”
“I don't like it.”
“What?”
“He's too old to...”
“To be friends with Jim?”
George pouts. “Maybe.”
Chris sighs. George is an obstinate man...too bullheaded at times. “Just try and be civil. No more glaring.”
George cracks a smile, “Aw, but mom--”
“Don't start!”
“I just worry. Jim's my baby boy.”
“I know.” He pauses. “But I don't think Jim is in any danger from that man. Leonard may seem prickly, but I can tell that he's a good man. And he's one of the best doctors in Starfleet.”
“I've heard.”
“Just give him a chance. He's going to have his hands full trying to keep Jim out of trouble.”
George grins, “You're right...the poor bastard.”
13
George is the one who fields the call from the Academy after Jim pulls a Chris to beat a unbeatable simulation. He looks at the clearly concerned Admiral on the vidscreen in front of him and starts cracking up.
“Captain Kirk! This is a very serious matter. Your son is facing suspension...possibly even expulsion.”
George tries to straighten out and stop laughing but can't help but chuckle again as soon as he sees the vein throbbing in the Admiral's forehead.
“What is so funny?” Chris asks from behind him.
He turns and gestures at the screen, “Oh. You know the Kobayashi Maru?”
“The unwinnable scenario?” Chris stops. “He didn't.”
“He did.”
A smile starts to form on Chris' face. “Guess he paid attention to the lessons I taught him after all.”
“They are going to have a hearing about it...accusing him of---well, cheating.”
“How did he do it?”
“Subroutine.” George tilts his head, “And possibly hacking.”
“Great.”
“Excuse me?!”
They turn to the (now very red) Admiral who gives them a furious and incredulous look.
“I told Jim, in a no-win situation---change the rules. Be original.”
“But...he---condoning, surely you know...”
Chris' chin raises proudly. “I bet that you end up giving him a commendation for original thinking by the time the hearing concludes.”
“We have never--”
George smiles, “There's a first time for everything.”
The sputtering Admiral is then left alone as the two laughing parents leave to go celebrate with a little alcohol.
14
Starfleet couldn't have kept George and Chris away from Jim's hearing for anything. And they were not above using George's hero status as their ticket in. They enter just in time to hear Jim say, “I believe I have the right to face my accuser.”
A Vulcan stands up towards the back of the room.
Chris groans a little.
“What?” George whispers.
“That's Commander Spock.”
“Your first officer for the five year mission?”
“Yeah.”
George frowns. “Let's hope Jim did his homework before getting creative with the test.”
Chris turns his attention back to the hearing.
“---Commander?”
“Cadet Kirk, you somehow managed to install and activate a subroutine in the programming code, thereby changing the conditions of the test.”
“I did.”
Admiral Barnett looks at Jim incredulously. “In academic vernacular, you cheated.”
Jim ignores the Admiral and turns to Spock. “The test itself is a cheat, isn't it? I mean you program it to be unwinnable.”
“Your argument precludes the possibility of a no-win scenario.”
“I don't believe in no-win scenarios.”
“Then not only did you violate the rules, you also fail to understand the principal lesson.”
“Please, enlighten me.”
“The purpose is to experience fear, fear in the face of certain death, to accept that fear, and maintain control of oneself and one's crew. This is the quality expected in every Starfleet captain.”
“I don't believe that a Captain should just accept certain death.” Jim looks Spock in the eyes, “A true Captain does everything they can to limit loss of life...including bending the rules---or they aren't worthy of their title!”
There is silence from the Admirals, Spock, and the Cadets in the crowd.
“And I didn't cheat. The instructions did not prohibit changing the parameters of the simulation. I leaned heavily on the rules, I bent them, but I didn't break them.”
Spock reluctantly says, “Cadet Kirk's logic is sound---”
“Yeah!”
Chris' eyes go wide. He yanks George back down after the man's proud-father exclamation.
Spock raises an eyebrow.
“We've received a distress call from Vulcan.”
Chris looks over at George. “I've got to get to the Enterprise.”
George nods. “Guess so, Captain.”
“I'll see you later.”
“Yeah.”
15
George catches sight of Dr. McCoy leading his weaving son towards the shuttle for Enterprise. He almost shrugs it off, but then remembers that Jim is still grounded pending the outcome of the hearing. He frowns as he meanders over.
“Medical code states the treatment and transport of a patient is to be determined at the discretion of his attending physician. Which is me! So I'm taking Mr. Kirk aboard. Or---”
George calls out, “Hey, it's okay---they're with me.”
The security officer snaps into a salute, “Yes, Captain Kirk!”
George grabs Jim's other side, “When did Chris teach Leonard about changing the rules when you hit a no-win scenario?”
“I don't feel so good.”
Leonard says, “That one, I learned on my own.”
“Let's find a seat.”
“Uh, sir. Are you supposed to---”
“Nope.”
Leonard nods. “Okay then.”
He grins, “Won't Chris be surprised.”
“That's one way of putting it, Sir.”
16
Chris order “Maximum warp, punch it” with a small smirk.
“Yes, Sir.”
The young Helmsman pushes the level for warp. Nothing happens. Everyone glances around the room.
“Lieutenant, where's helmsman McKenna?”
“He has lungworm, sir. He couldn't report to his post. I'm Hikaru Sulu.”
“And you are a pilot, right?”
“Yes, very much so, Sir. Uh, I'm not sure what's wrong here...”
Chris can't help but sarcastically ask, “Is the parking brake on?”
Sulu chuckles a little nervously while hitting buttons, “Uh, no Sir. I'll figure it out.”
“Have you disengaged the external inertial dampener?” Spock asks evenly.
Sulu stops and hits a few buttons without looking at anyone. “Ready for warp, Sir.”
Chris says, “Let's punch it.”
“Take two” a familiar voice says.
Chris spins in his chair. “George?”
“Hi, honey, I'm home.”
“What are you doing here?”
“Currently? Trying not to laugh hysterically at your helmsman...don't want to permanently embarrass him, it'll scar him for life...he'll get a complex.”
Chris gapes. “George!”
“Mr. Kirk, I would ask---”
George cuts off Spock, “Hello, Mr. Spock. Live long and prosper. I would do the hand salute but my fingers just don't---”
Chris snaps. “George Kirk, you tell me what you are doing on my ship, this instant.”
“Whoa. Yes, mother.” George smirks, “Did you know that Leonard McCoy is also of your questionable morals when it comes to no-win situations?”
“What?” Chris stops. “He...Jim...He didn't.”
George grins. “He did.”
“And you didn't stop them!”
“What was I supposed to do? He's Jim's physician and Jim needed medical care.”
“What?!”
“Was Cadet Kirk injured?” Spock asks.
“What? No, just really sick.”
Chris lifts his head to look George in the eye, “Was he sick before Leonard got a hold of him?”
George laughs, “Now that would be telling.”
17
George stays on the bridge for as long as Chris (and the rule-abiding Spock) will let him, but they eventually kick him out. He is minding his own business when he spots his son, Leonard, and another Cadet running through the hall. He follows them out of curiosity. They head for the bridge.
Jim yells “Dad!” before realizing that one doesn't call their commanding officer dad and correcting with “Captain Pike, Sir, we have to stop the ship.”
“Captain this man is under the influence of a severe reaction of a Melvaran flea vaccine, completely---”
“Bones!”
“delusional. I take full responsibility.”
“Vulcan is not experiencing a natural disaster! It's being attacked by Romulans.”
“Romulans? Jim, I think you've have enough excitement for one day...”
Jim cuts in, “That same anomaly was---”
“Cadet Kirk is not cleared to be aboard this vessel.”
“Neither am I!” George chimes in helpfully.
George's interruption only stops them for a second. Jim and Spock glance at him before continuing.
“I can escort the Cadet to med---”
Jim snaps, “This Cadet is trying to save the bridge.”
“By recommending a full stop mid-warp during a rescue mission?”
“That same anomaly, a lightning storm in space that we saw today, also occurred on the day of my birth before a Romulan ship attacked the USS Kelvin. The Kelvin attack took place on the edge of Klingon space, and at twenty-three hundred hours last night, there was an attack. Forty-seven Klingon warbirds destroyed by Romulans. It was reported that the Romulans were in one ship, one massive ship.”
George can't help but start swearing in the background. He remembers the attack quite well. It was during that time that his Captain was killed and he became Captain. It was during that attack that Winona died and Jim was born.
Chris asks, “And you know of this Klingon attack, how?”
“Sir, I intercepted and translated the message myself. Kirk's report is accurate,” Uhura reports.
Jim looks at Chris and Spock. “We're warping into a trap. The Romulans are waiting for us.”
“The Cadet's logic is sound. And Lieutenant Uhura is unmatched in xenolinguistics, we would be wise to accept her conclusion.”
George mutters to himself about how no Vulcan has ever said he has sound logic...and Jim's gotten it twice!
Chris goes to red alert.
18
Chris doesn't have time to really register the catastrophic loss of life---half the fleet, all those Cadets...gone.
Uhura says, “Captain, we're being hailed.”
The Captain of the enemy ship says, “Hello.”
George hisses in the background, but he can't focus on that.
“I'm Captain Christopher Pike. To whom am I speaking?”
“Hi Christopher, I'm Nero.”
Despite being a bit pissed off, he decides to try diplomacy...mostly because he doesn't have a lot of other options. “You've declared war against the Federation. Withdraw. I'll agree to arrange a conference with Romulan leadership at a neutral location.”
“I do not speak for the Empire. We stand apart, as does your Vulcan crewmember, isn't that right, Spock?”
“Pardon me, I do not believe that you and I are acquainted?” There is an icy edge to Spock's voice.
“No, we're not. Not yet. Spock, there's something I would like you to see. Captain Pike, your transporter has been disabled. As you can see by the rest of your armada, you have no choice. You will man a shuttle, come aboard the Narada, for negotiations. That is all.”
Jim says, “He'll kill you, you know that.”
George tries, “Remember Captain Robau...”
Spock states, “Your survival is unlikely.”
“Captain, we gain nothing by diplomacy. Going over to that ship is a mistake.”
“Chris, Captain Robau!”
“I, too, agree. You should re-think your strategy.”
He finally cuts through their protests, “I understand that. I need officers who have been trained in advanced hand-to-hand combat.”
“I have training, Sir.” Sulu volunteers.
“Come with me. Jim, George, you too. You're both not supposed to be here anyway. Chekov, you have the conn.”
By the time they reach engineering, Chris has a more solid plan in his head, although it pains him that it puts his best friend and son in danger.
He says, “Without transporters, we can't beam off the ship, we can't assist Vulcan, we can't do our job. Mister Kirk, Mister Sulu, and George, will space-jump from the shuttle. You will land on that machine they lowered into the atmosphere that's scrambling our gear. You'll disable it, then you'll beam back to the ship. Mister Spock, I'm leaving you in command of the Enterprise. Once we have transport capabilities, communications back up, you'll contact Starfleet, report what the hell's going on here. And if all else fails, fall back, rendezvous with the fleet in the Laurentian system. Cadet Kirk, I'm promoting you to first officer.”
“What?” Jim looks at him in confusion.
Spock hesitantly says, “Captain, I---”
He smiles, “I'm not the Captain, you are. Let's go.”
“Sir, after we knock out that drill, what happens to you?”
“Oh, I guess you'll have to come and get me. Careful with the ship, Spock. She's brand new.”
George whispers “Chris...”
“I'll be fine. Stop the drill.”
19
George feels like he's trapped in a nightmare. The same ship, same man who killed his Captain, crew, and sweet Winona...back to attack the Vulcans. He feels righteous anger rise to the surface of his being.
“Shuttle eight nine, USS Enterprise. You are cleared forward.”
“You got the charges right?”
George raises an eyebrow, “No, son, I decided we didn't need them and left them behind.”
Jim glares for a second before turning to Sulu. “So, what kind of combat training do you have?”
“Fencing.”
George mouths 'fencing' to himself.
“You are clear from USS Enterprise airspace.”
“Gentlemen, we're approaching the drop zone. You have one shot to land on that platform. You may have to fix this to pull your 'chute as late as possible. Three... two... one. Remember, the Enterprise won't be able to beam you back until you turn off that drill. Good luck.”
A lever is pulled. They fall.
Jim says, “Kirk to Enterprise. Distance to target, five thousand meters.”
“Forty-two hundred meters to target.” Sulu reports.
“Four thousand meters.”
“Three thousand meters.”
“Two thousand meters.”
Sulu calls, “Pull your Shute.”
George pulls his shute and lands on the drill platform. He sees Jim land safe as well before they are both attacked by Romulans. George sees Jim struggling with one of the Romulan with a weapon. Sulu's shute gets damaged by random shots that go off, but the young Lieutenant manages to make it onto the platform. George is a little surprised to see a retractable sword is Sulu's choice of weapon, but the kid did say 'fencing.'
George fights off a Romulan long enough to see Sulu helping his son up from hanging precariously over the edge of the platform. George moves to get the charges from where the pack lays on the ledge of the platform. A sound alerts him to a strange looking object being dropped from the enemy vessel. He doesn't think, he leaps, and manages to catch it before opening his shute again to try and keep it from propelling itself downwards. It struggle in his grasp, and he just barely manages to hook his wrist comm onto it as it escapes him.
He looks up to see his son yelling something into a communicator. The planet's surface is coming up too fast, he thinks he may die this time. He wonders if his son understood what he had just done, tried to do...that his son remembers that the comm can be locked onto by the transporter. He hits the planet Vulcan feet first and hears his leg snap before blacking out.
20
Chris is not having a good day. He just sent his best friend and his adoptive son on what could be a futile attempt to delay the inevitable. He can only hope they succeeded. That might make what is about to happen much more palatable.
Nero begins the interrogation, “You must have a lot of questions for me. I only have one for you. I need the subspace frequencies of Starfleet's border protection grids. Specifically, those surrounding Earth. Christopher, answer my question.”
“No. You just tried to commit genocide.”
“I tried to prevent genocide! In my time, where I come from, this is a simple mining vessel. I chose a life of honest labor, to provide for myself and the wife who was expecting my child. I was off-planet, doing my job, while your Federation did nothing and allowed my people to burn while my planet broke in half. And Spock, he didn't help us. He betrayed us.”
“No, no, you're confused. You've been misinformed. Romulus hasn't been destroyed. It's out there right now. You're blaming the Federation for something that hasn't happened.” Chris is appalled by the Romulan's apparent madness.
“It has happened! I watched it happen! I saw it happen! Don't tell me it didn't happen! And when I lost her, I promised myself retribution. And for twenty-five years, I planned my revenge against the Federation, and forgot what it was like to live a normal life. I did not forget the pain. That's the pain I wanted every Vulcan to share. My purpose, Christopher, is to not simply avoid the destruction of the home that I love, but to create a Romulus that exists free of the Federation. You see, only then will she be truly saved. That is why I will destroy all the remaining Federation planets, starting with yours. It's just a bonus that I know it will hurt the fools who managed to delay my revenge against Spock.”
Chris knows that eventually he will break, but until that time...he decides not to make it easy on the murdering son of a bitch. “Then we have nothing left to discuss.”
Nero grabs a creature with a pair of tongs. “You will give me the frequencies to disable Earth's defenses. Centaurian slugs. They latch onto your brainstem, and release a toxin that will force you to answer. Frequencies please, sir.”
Chris glares defiantly. “Christopher Pike, Captain, USS Enterprise, serial number---”
“As you wish.”
The Romulans force his mouth open to insert the slug, and he lets himself scream.
21
George wakes up in a bed. He realizes he's in pain before remembering why that is.
“You're awake. I wasn't certain when you would come to. You broke your left leg in several places, got a concussion from hitting your head, and fractured your right arm. Not to mention the bruises and lacerations covering your body.”
He looks up to see a woman with a scarf around her head.
“Where am I?”
“A Vulcan medical facility.”
He starts at this, “I...this is Vulcan?”
“Yes. You managed to stick your wrist communicator to the weapon and your son had it beamed on board before it could get out of transporter range.”
“On board the Enterprise?!”
“They did not allow it to rematerialize.”
“Oh. That's okay then.”
She smiles warmly at him, “They destroyed the drill. The Enterprise figured out what the Romulans were trying to do, and your son recommended that we collapse the hole in the surface while the Enterprise held off the Narada.”
“That's great!”
She shakes her head. “I'm afraid that since drilling again would allow our ships time to arrive here, the Narada is now on its way to Earth.”
“No.”
“The Enterprise has gone to prevent that tragedy.” She shakes her head ruefully, “There was only time for a brief talk with the Enterprise before my son had to go after the Romulan ship.”
“Your son...you're Amanda Grayson, aren't you?”
“Yes.”
He winces, “I didn't introduce myself or ask your name. I've been very rude, and you---you've been very kind.”
“You saved Vulcan and its people. You can be rude if you wish, although you haven't been anything other than a perfect gentlemen, in my opinion.”
“God, that was close. A whole planet!” He laughs a little hysterically, “I think I hate Romulans.”
“You do seem to have rather bad luck with them, don't you?”
“Yeah, killing my wife, taking my best frie---”
“What is it?”
His eyes are wide, “Chris! Chris Pike, is he still on that ship?”
Amanda's eyes dull a bit as she nods.
“Oh, God. Chris.” George falls into despair.
Amanda's arms come around him as he cries, and she may be the only reason he isn't collapsed on the floor sobbing out his pain.
22
Chris can feel the creature's toxin begin to work. Nero asks for the codes to get past Earth's defenses. He doesn't want to answer, doesn't want to betray his people, but the words fall loosely from his lips. Tears stream down his cheeks and he wonders if biting his own tongue off would do any good. The only thing that stops him is the realization that he has already told them what they want to know...biting off his tongue won't stop them from destroying his home planet.
Nero thanks him for his assistance before rushing off. He tries not to think about what Nero is planning. He tries not to think of anything, but finds that too difficult and gives up. He lays in pain and thinks about George and Sam and Jim and...oh God, he left the Enterprise to a bunch of young punks. What can they do against the sheer madness of Nero? And most of the fleet is in the Laurentian system, which is too far away to be much help. He feels despair settle in.
His lips move in a silent prayer. He prays that the Kirk family has another miracle up their sleeves. He just knows George and Jim were the ones responsible for stopping Nero's plan to destroy Vulcan. When they put their minds to it, the Kirks are a force to be reckoned with, and all he can do is hope that they stop Nero before it's too late. He halfheartedly hopes to be rescued in the near future, before the slug thing kills him or does too much damage to his brain. He really hopes his mind and body remain mostly intact.
He hears a noise but disregards it. Throughout his suffering, Romulan guards come and go. They are silent and watch him intently. Have they never seen a human before or are they looking for the effects of the slug...
God, he hates Romulans.
And boy, is he in pain. Everything sort of throbs and stabs and...hurts. He hates it. He really wonders why he isn't dead yet. He gave them the codes. That is probably the extent of his usefulness to them. They should have killed him after he gave over the codes, but he is still in horrendous amounts of pain...so most likely still alive. Either that or he is in purgatory paying for all those times he bent the rules. Could be Hell...it sure is warm enough here to be Hell, but this sure better not be Heaven or he's changing his religion.
The Romulans begin to talk to each other and sneer at him. He gathers from the gestures and facial expressions that they are making bets about him. He thinks the bets are about when he will die. He can't seem to summon up much in response to that. He wishes he knew enough Romulan to put in his own bet.
He doesn't think he's going to last much longer.
tbc...