The Vulcan Changeling Project

Illogical Hope

Muriah crept along the passageway of the Enterprise for her sensitive ears had detected a faint movement over to her left. With her phaser drawn Muriah whirled around the corner.

Mister Scott jumped back in surprise and yelped, “It’s me don’t shoot.”

Muriah smiled, “Hello, Scotty.”

Scotty returned her smile grateful for any spark of hope, “Aye, lass you’re a sight for sore eyes.”

Muriah grinned back, “Mister Scott, I cannot tell you how pleased I am to see you, for I have a plan to take back the Enterprise.”

Scotty sighed and shook his head, “Your optimism is to be admired, but there’s not much we can do, lass. I’ve tried to get an emergency signal out to star-fleet but all frequencies are jammed and the bridge…the bridge has been taken.”

Lieutenant Riley, who had been biting his thumbnail, stepped forward, “Begging your pardon Miss…I mean uhm Muriah, but what exactly is your plan? How are we three going to defeat a ship full of Romulans.”

Muriah stared at Lieutenant Riley for so long that he flushed and looked away, “Lieutenant, I do not necessarily need your help; however I could use some company, so how about it? Are you with me or not?”

Scotty chuckled and said, “I like your style, lass. In in the immortal words of William Wallace, ‘they may take our lives, but they will never take our freedom.’”

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Sarek lay in his bed trying in vain to rest. Amanda’s presence in the back of his mind comforted him somewhat, yet he felt Spock’s absence deeply. He and his son had not been close for many years, yet the thought of losing him was intolerable. When Sarek’s door chime sounded, he answered it with relief.

“Come in, “Sarek intoned flatly.

Commander Rael’s figure filled the doorway; he paused for a moment and then walked into Sarek’s dimly lit cabin, “Sarek, I trust you were not asleep?”

Sarek stood up as a feeling of dread beat at the battalions of his logic and control, “No, sleep has evaded me.”

Commander Rael nodded, “We will be in same quadrant as the Enterprise soon.” Commander Rael looked down at his hands and then said, “The Enterprise is under attack as we speak. Our inside agent is attempting to not harm the crew of the Enterprise, but there is only so much he can do without compromising his position. I thought…I thought you should know.”

Sarek clasped his hands behind his back to keep them from trembling as he began to pace back and forth, “Perhaps, your agent will be able to spare the crew of the Enterprise, for it is the only hope we have left.”

Commander Rael raised an eyebrow in surprise, “Hope, Sarek? Hope as you know is most illogical. The Romulan race is violent and cruel, making the survival of the bridge crew most unlikely.”

Sarek nodded and said softly, “Hope is logical, only to be relied upon when there is nothing else.”

Commander Rael nodded and turned to leave but before he did he paused, “Sarek, my son is in constant danger as well.”

Sarek spoke aloud as if Commander Rael were not there, “My son Spock and I have a dissention between us and since then we have hardly spoken. It seems strange that in just a few moments I might lose him forever. The rift between us would no longer exist. Everything we did or did not share would be meaningless.”

Commander Rael shook his head, “You are wrong my friend. Everything shared between you and your son will always mean something for death cannot destroy memories.”

Sarek nodded sadly, “Yes, for it is through death that the past becomes exponentially stronger.”

Commander Rael looked into the depths of Sarek’s eyes and inwardly gasped at the passion that brewed within them.

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Kirk groaned as he lay in Spock’s arms, blood flowed down his face and neck as Spock tilted his head back so that Kirk could breathe easier. “Captain, can you hear me?” Spock asked calmly, only Kirk could hear the tremor in his voice.

Kirk nodded, for every breath he took was sheer agony, “I think I have a collapsed lung,” Kirk gasped.

“Oh, and I thought I was the ship’s Doctor,” McCoy snapped sarcastically to hide his concern over Kirk’s condition.

Kirk’s bloodshot eyes stared back at McCoy as he ran a medical scanner over Kirk’s body. “Well, Doctor, do I have a collapsed lung?” Kirk asked weakly barely able to keep his eyes focused on McCoy.

The whirling of the medical scanner stopped and McCoy said, “The reason you are having trouble breathing is that you have a pneumothorax.”

Kirk raised an eyebrow and gasped, “And just what is that, Bones?”

When Doctor McCoy didn’t answer, Spock calmly replied, “A pneumothorax is when the air pushes the outside of the…”

McCoy swore, “Can nothing shut you up, Spock? Jim, you have pneumothorax-a collapsed lung.”

Commander Raeth shouted, “Enough, your sentimental driveling over one another makes me sick. Now, where is that half breed mutant woman you have been harboring on your ship?”