Chapter 6

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Chapter 6

We walked past people in the hallway, who had no intention in stopping us. Rather moving out of the way when they saw Captain Pike.

"Without transporters we can't beam off the ship. We can't assist Vulcan, we can't do our job." Started the Captain. "Mr. Kirk, Mr. Sulu, Engineer Olson will space-jump from the shuttle. You will land on that machine they've lowered into the atmosphere, that's scrambling our gear, you'll get inside, you'll disable it then you'll beam back to the ship." He explains the mission at hand. But that still left me out. So where was I in this master plan?

He began to give instructions to Spock, who was walking behind him. He spoke loudly to be heard over the engineers, who were working furiously to fix the Enterprise.

"Mr. Spock, I'm leaving you in command of the Enterprise. Once we have transport capability and communication back up you'll contact Starfleet and report what the hell's going on here."

This still didn't explain why I was here. He didn't really expect me to go with Jim. Did he? Not that I was going to object.

He stopped at the lift that would take us to the shuttle and turned to Spock. "And if all else fails, fall back and rendezvous with the fleet in the Laurentian system."

He turned to Jim who was next to me. "Kirk, I'm promoting you to first officer." I was shocked and proud, but mostly shocked.

"What?" Jim and I said simultaneously again, I didn't even bother to stop him. Much less glare at him.

"Captain? Please, I apologize. The complexities of human pranks escape me." Spock said. I frowned, but then shrugged. It understood why he was surprised.

"It's not a prank, Spock. And I am not the captain, you are." Pike explained to the still not amused Vulcan. He turned to the rest of us. "Let's go."

We all got on the lift after Sulu. The captain stayed out of the lift momentarily. I stood between Jim and Sulu. As the captain entered Jim asked him a critical question. "Sir, after we knock out that drill, what happens to you?"

"I guess you have to come and get me." He said in an off hand casual manner. "Careful with the ship, Spock, She's brand new." He advised the newly appointed captain before the lift's doors closed.

The last I saw of Spock before the doors closed were one of his strange eyebrows being raised in possible amusement, though I sort of doubt it.

I stayed quiet the entire time. There was a nervous tension in the lift, you could practically feel it. The lift doors opened when we arrived at the cargo bay. Olson was already there waiting for us. "Gentlemen, please go change into the suits. You'll be needing them if you plan to survive the jump."

Sulu, Olson, and Jim went into a changing room to get into the suits. I stood by Pike. "Sir?" He turned to me. "What exactly is my purpose being here?" I asked.

"I knew that if I gave you orders to stay behind, you'd find a way to disobey them in order to see your brother go." He said casually. I couldn't help but give a small smile. "That and I wanted to tell you, Lieutenant, I'm also promoting you."

"Sir, I don't know why you would promote me when there are others who deserve it more than I." I began.

"That is where you are wrong Lieutenant. No one deserves this promotion more than you. Well, your brother did just get a promotion, but that doesn't matter." He began and looked directly at me. His eyes soften. He really is the father I never had.

"Captain-"

"Don't you at least want to find out what it is." He interrupted. After thinking about it, I nodded my head sheepishly.

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