Star Trek: From Ashes and Darkness

Chapter 20: Out of Ashes

Year 2259

"There will always be those who mean to do us harm, to stop them we risk awakening the same evil within ourselves."

Jim spoke firmly, compassionate but also determined as he delivered the honorary speech for the lives that had been lost.

Spock and Uhura were amongst those sitting near the front of the assembly outside Starfleet Headquarters, while the other members of his crew dotted the many who had gathered for the event. Jim also knew Khan and Asha were watching from inside the building, not going outside out of respect and for security reasons.

So it was with conviction that he continued his speech: "Our first instinct is to seek revenge when those we love are taken from us. But that's not who we are."

"We are here today to rechristen the USS Enterprise. And to honor those who lost their lives nearly a one year ago. When Christopher Pike first gave me his ship he had me recite the captain's oath. Words I didn't appreciate at the time."

Jim paused, before smiling slightly as he continued passionately: "Now I see them as a call for us to remember who we once were and who we must be again. And those words...Space, the final frontier."

"These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise. Her five years mission, to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before..."

************

Later

On the Enterprise

"Captain on the bridge." Chekov called as Jim walked out of the lift and onto the bridge.

Jim grinned when he saw Sulu sitting on the Captain's chair, the man smirking back at the young blond captain.

"It's hard to get out of it once you've had a taste." Jim noted as Sulu finally got up out of the chair. "Isn't that right, Mr. Sulu?"

"'Captain' does have a nice ring to it." Sulu joked, before he moved aside as he continued warmly: "The chair is all yours, sir."

Jim smiled before he settled back into the familiar chair, and he called as Sulu also took his place in the pilot's chair: "Mr. Scott, how's our core?"

"Purring like a kitten, Captain." Scotty replied from down in Engineering. "She's ready for a long journey."

"Excellent." Jim answered, grinning. It was good to have the whole crew back together again.

He glanced back as the thought passed his mind, and Jim laughed as he saw Bones standing rather grumpily and a little bit nervously to the side.

"Come on, Bones," Jim teased, "it's gonna be fun."

"Five years in space." Bones groaned, no longer trying to hold his fear in. He didn't know why he tried when Jim knew of his phobia and always made fun of him anyways. "God help me."

Jim chuckled before he turned as he heard the lift doors to the bridge open once more. His grin widened as he saw one of the latest additions to his crew walk out, her long red hair held back in a neat ponytail.

"Permission to come on the bridge, sir." Asha said lightly, her eyes sparkling with mirth.

"Granted." Jim answered with a matching light in his eyes. "Where is Khan?"

"He went down to engineering first." Asha explained. "He wanted to look over everything once before coming up; he's probably scaring Mr. Scotty as we speak."

"Ah." Jim answered – he believed that. He could only imagine how Scotty must feel with the Augment's sharp gaze on him. Jim could only imagine the stress that might cause his chief Engineer.

"Welcome aboard." Jim added to Asha warmly. "It's good to have you as part of the family."

Her eyes laughed at him even as she answered respectfully: "I'm glad you invited me."

He knew what was so amusing to her. Starfleet had initially only issued the verdict for Khan to join Jim's crew on the Enterprise's five year expedition. It was both to keep a watch on the Augment during Khan's probation, and his 'punishment' for his crimes that he worked aboard the Enterprise. Though, it seemed Khan's attitude was closer to treating the assignment as charity work.

In exchange, however, Starfleet had agreed that if Khan proved himself to be a valuable member of society – read, not a bloodthirsty killer – then Starfleet would revive the rest of Khan's crew as well.

It wasn't a bad deal, and Jim was proud of himself for putting it together – with some help from Spock of course.

And, of course, Jim was especially proud of himself for hiring Asha onto his crew before Starfleet command could really put together the link that he'd hired her right about the time Khan's verdict had come out. In the confusion following Khan's release, it had been easy to get Asha onto his team before she could be taken somewhere else.

Starfleet was still hesitant to trust the Augments, but Jim was not about to go off into space for five years with Khan and without Asha. Not only would it be very awkward for everyone else to deal with the intimidating Augment without Asha's softer presence around, but Jim was certain Khan would murder him in his sleep before they were even gone a day before the Augment went back to fetch Asha himself.

It was much better for all of them if the two were together on the Enterprise.

Asha smiled at Jim again as she took a seat amongst the Science officers, near Spock, adjusting her new blue uniform as she did.

The lift doors slid open just after Asha had settled down, and Jim turned to see Khan himself.

"Permission to come on the bridge, Captain." Khan said, just a hint of sarcasm in his tone though the Augment's blue eyes were light.

"Granted." Jim answered. "Welcome aboard, Khan."

He refrained from adding anything about family with the Augment – somehow, Jim knew Khan wouldn't quite take it as the compliment he meant it to be, unlike Asha.

"Thank you, Captain." Khan replied lightly as he walked across the bridge, taking up his own seat amongst the few Engineering officers who kept an eye in the bridge.

Asha flashed him a smile, which Khan answered with a much warmer grin than he'd given the others, while Jim turned in his seat once more.

"Spock." He called, and Spock replied deferentially: "Captain."

"Where should we go?" Jim asked lightly, and Spock was also holding back a smile as he answered: "As a mission of this duration has never been attempted...I defer to your good judgment, Captain."

The crew all grinned, and Asha sent an excited look towards Khan that he answered with a much cooler expression, as Jim ordered: "Mr. Sulu, take us out."

"Aye, Captain." Sulu answered as he took them off.

Jim settled in his Captain's chair while Asha's eyes sparkled and Khan's lip curved up into a small smile at her infectious joy. And, after all, things were actually starting to look up now – their crew was safe, they were together once more, and a great adventure lay ahead of them in uncharted space... and beyond.