Two Captains

Chapter 18

"It is remarkably pleasing to see you again old friends." The Vulcan claiming to be Spock says as the three of us sit around a small fire in the cave. Jim and I sit across from the Vulcan, staring at him. "Especially after the events of today."

"Sir," Jim and I both stand up. "We appreciate what you've done for us today, but if you were Spock...you'd know, we're not friends. At all." I say. "You-you hate us. You marooned us here for mutiny."

"Mutiny?" Spock looks up at us.

"Yes."

"You are not the captains?" He asks.

"Captains?" Jim asks. "There's no such thing as two captains of the same ship."

"Up until a little while ago there was no such thing as two first officers of the same ship either." I point out quietly. "And look what happened."

Jim nods, then looks back at Spock. "No, no...ehm, you're the captain." He answers Spock's question, then turns and walks away a couple paces.

"Pike was taken hostage." I add, looking down.

"By Nero?" Spock asks.

Jim and I both look at him. "What do you know about him?" I ask.

"He is a particularly troubled Romulan." He answers. A moment of silence, and he walks over to both of us. "Please, allow me." He holds both his hands up to both of our faces. "It will be easier."

"Whoa, whoa, what are you doing?" Jim asks, leaning backwards a little bit.

I look at Spock. "No, no, I don't like that. No thank you." I step backwards a step.

"What is it?" Jim looks at me.

"Our minds, one and together." Spock answers.

"To put it simply, yeah." I look at Jim. "I've had it once before and it was not a good experience for either me or the Vulcan."

"Why, what happened?" Jim asks.

"He saw my past."

"And? What's so bad about your past?"

"Let's just say I did not have a good childhood, Jim. You know this, remember your uncle?"

Actually, he doesn't know this completely, but I don't plan to tell him about it either.

Spock looks at me. "I will not look into your past, but will you allow me to explain?"

"Alright." I say reluctantly, and step forward again. Spock places one hand on one side of our faces, his index finger placed not far below the corner of my eye, against my nose, his thumb by my jaw, and the rest of fingers on the side of my head by my temple and above the ear. He does the same with Jim.

"129 years from now, a star will explode and threaten to destroy the galaxy."

Suddenly the cave disappears and I'm in the middle of space.

"That is where I from Jim, Natasha. The future." Spock's last sentence echos in space and gradually fades away.

The stars zoom into place and a planet rushes past me as large chunks of rock move out of the way and a blinding orange, yellow, and white star zooms up close to me.

"The star went into supernova." His last words echo and fade away.

Suddenly the star turns a bright orange for a moment and then explodes.

"Consuming everything in its path."

Surrounding me is bright yellow fire, small chunks of rock scattered everywhere.