Commander

Chapter 9: New Life

"Approaching the unknown planet, sir."

"Bring us into orbit, Sulu. Spock?"

"Stable atmosphere. Signs of primitive life..."

Rev was laying on her bed, staring at the ceiling. She was off duty, but Kirk had been called to the bridge when they'd discovered a new planet, and the intercom had woken her up. She was waiting for the news; she'd probably either be asked to beam down to the planet as a sciences officer, or take the conn if Spock was. Rev was just waiting for the verdict.

"--Commander Zhi'Rev, you have the conn."

"Acknowledged," she replied, pushing herself off the bed and exiting the room; she'd fallen asleep in her uniform the night before.

Once on the bridge, Rev took her seat and pulled her legs underneath her; she had a tendency to sit cross-legged in the Captain's chair, and she didn't know why. It was an illogical position to sit in; if a crisis were to occur, she'd be seconds slower from standing up. Still, it was the most comfortable position, and there was no sign of a ship-threatening disaster about to happen.

Nothing did happen for over half an hour. Rev had worked a fifteen hour shift previously, to take over for a sick science officer. She'd only gotten half an hour's sleep before the intercom woke her up, meaning she was bordering on sleep-deprivation. Therefore, she was moderately glad when Uhura reported.

"Landing party communicating, Commander."

"Main line."

"Yes ma'am."

"Kirk-- ENTERPRISE, -- in ENTERPRISE."

Rev blinked the sleep from her eyes and pressed the intercom button, suddenly worried.

"ENTERPRISE, Commander Rev here."

"We-- to be having-- problem-- communications."

"I can't get the quality higher, Commander," Uhura said, frantically pressing buttons on her panel.

"We're-- keep going-- Kirk out."

Rev sat back, suddenly wide awake.

"Something's happening down there, I want to know what."

"We're working on it, Capt-- Commander."

Rev smiled internally and sat back once more; there was nothing to do now but wait for the Captain to contact them again.

"Status?"

"They're heading to one of the high mountains-- they're being followed!"

"Uhura, get me contact with them."

"Yes Commander."

"Rev to Captain Kirk."

"Rev?"

"You're being followed, sir."

"We're--"

Suddenly, there was a loud crash, and a scream.

"Captain?"

The sound of running could easily be heard, and several more yells.

"What's happening, Captain?"

"We've-- ambushed. Beam--"

"Scotty, beam them up."

"Yes Commander-- I can't, they're moving too fast!"

"What's happening?"

"It's the cliff," a Lieutenant yelled. "The peak has crumbled. They're falling."

"They're falling too fast, I can't lock on--"

"I can do zhat!" Chekov suddenly yelled. "I can do zhat!"

"Go, Chekov, go!"

Chekov jumped out of his seat and tore out of the bridge. A waiting Ensign took his seat immediately.

"I want to know what's happening, Scotty!"

"We're trying, Commander. We've got Abbott and Spock-- Chekov--"

"I can do zhat!"

"Do it, Chekov!"

Rev leaned on her elbow, leaning closer to the intercom as if that would help get them here faster.

"I'm losing him, I'm losing him-- I lost him..."

"Who, Chekov, who did you lose?"

There was a heavy silence, in which Rev waited with anticipation.

"I'm here, Commander," came Kirk's panting voice. "We lost Lieutenant Riley."

Rev didn't show that she was relieved, but she definitely was. Losing the Captain while she had the conn would not have been the best for her... and losing Jim in general, would not have been good, either, but she didn't admit that.

"Chekov pulled out some good abilities there. Commander?"

"Yes Captain. Just glad Starfleet has not lost a good officer. I am sorry about Riley, sir."

Kirk was still panting, which was not a good sign.

"Captain?"

"Yes Commander?"

"I request you go to Sickbay. You do not sound good, sir."

Rev heard Kirk chuckle.

"No, I guess I don't. I did just fall a thousand meters, little Spock."

Rev decided not to comment on that one. He was right, he fell a long way, he didn't deserve a scolding.

"Get to Sickbay, Jim."

"Yes ma'am!"

Once off the intercom, Rev slid down in her seat a bit, relieved that the excitement was over. If this was what it was like to be Captain, she was not sure she'd ever want to be one.

Chekov appeared a few moments later, looking down.

"Is everything alright, Ensign?"

"I lost Lieutenant Riley."

Rev, being Vulcan, was unsure of how to comfort the Ensign. She went for the first true thing she could think of.

"I am sorry, Chekov. You did, however, save the Captain. You should not be too hard on yourself when, without you, Kirk would have died."

Chekov looked up at her, knowing she was trying to comfort him, and shrugged.

"Thank you, Commander."

Spock entered the bridge then, looking dusty but fine. Rev stood up.

"You have the conn, Spock. Ensign Chekov, get some sleep."

"Zhi'Rev?"

Rev stopped, turning to look at her brother. He was standing by the Captain's chair, looking hesitant.

"You did a good job."

Rev raised an eyebrow. She'd never been praised by her brother before.

"Thank you, S'chn."

Spock nodded and together Rev and Chekov entered the lift, and left the bridge. Rev rubbed her eyes; she needed sleep.