Exploring a New World (Star Trek)

Part 5

After the destruction of Vulcan, you among many other doctors and nurses were checking the surviving Vulcan elders who now resided on the Enterprise. You took out some wrapping and made your way to your current patient, James T. Kirk. You grabbed his hand and started to wrap it in a bandage as you asked, "are you okay?"

"Yeah. Are you," Kirk said quietly as he brought his uninjured hand up to your face. He brushed his thumb on the forming bruised on your cheekbone. "Looks like they got you pretty good."

You gave him a soft smile as you grabbed his hand and pulled it away from your face, "don't worry about me, I'll be fine."

"I'll always worry about you," he admitted. You both remained silent for a few moments. He kept his eyes on you as you continued to tend to his hand. "We're going to get your dad back."

"I know," you nodded and gave him a sad smile. "I just hope that when we do, it won't be too late."

He quickly responded, "it won't be. And I promise you that I will do everything in my power to get him back safely." Once you finished bandaging his hand, he stood from the bed and extended his unharmed hand to you, "come on, let's go for a walk. You need to clear your head."

You hesitated as watched his hand for a moment then reluctantly agreed. You grabbed his hand and followed him as he led you both out of med bay.

~

You were leaning against the railing behind the captain's chair where Kirk was sitting. Spock roamed around the bridge as he asked, "have you confirmed that Nero is headed for Earth?"

"Their trajectory suggests no other destination, Captain," Nyota responded as she spun her chair around to face him.

"Thank you, Lieutenant."

Kirk said, "Earth may be his next stop, but we have to assume every Federation planet's a target."

"Out of the chair," Spock demanded calmly to the blonde who rolled his eyes in response. Kirk got out of the chair as told and made his way beside you.

"Well, if the Federation is the target, why didn't they destroy us," Chekov asked.

"Why would they? Why waste a weapon? We obviously weren't a threat," Sulu responded.

"That is not it," Spock stated. "He said he wanted me to see something, the destruction of my home planet."

"How the hell did they do that, by the way," you wondered. "I mean, where did the Romulans get that kind of weaponry?"

"The engineering comprehension necessary to artificially create a black hole may suggest an answer. Such technology could theoretically be manipulated to create a tunnel through space-time," Spock replied.

"Damn it man, we're not physicists. Are you actually suggesting they're from the future," Leonard asked as he waved his arm around.

"If you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."

Leonard rolled his eyes, "how poetic."

"Then what would an angry future Romulan want with my father," you asked.

"As Captain, he does know details of Starfleet's defences," Sulu pointed out.

Kirk pushed himself off the railing that you both were leaning on and stepped towards the centre of the bridge. "What we need to do is catch up to that ship, disable it, take it over and get Pike back."

"We are technologically outmatched in every way. A rescue attempt would be illogical," Spock stated.

Chekov added, "Nero's ship would have to drop out of warp for us to overtake them."

"Then what about assigning engineering crews to try and boost our warp yield?" You suggested.

Spock started, "the remaining crew are repairing radiation leaks on the lower decks and damage to subspace communications, without which we cannot contact Starfleet. We must gather with the rest of Starfleet to balance the terms of the next engagement."

Kirk marched over to Spock as he exclaimed, "there won't be a next engagement. By the time we've gathered, it'll be too late. You say he's from the future, knows what's going to happen. Then the logical thing is to be unpredictable."

"You are assuming that Nero knows how events are predicted to unfold. The contrary Nero's very presence has altered the flow of history. Beginning with the attack on the U.S.S. Kelvin, culminating the events of today. Thereby creating an entire new chain of incidents that cannot be anticipated by either party."

"An alternate reality," you stated aloud in realization.

"Precisely, doctor," Spock said and walked back toward the chair and sat down. "Whatever our lives might have been, if the time continuum was disrupted, our destinies have changed. Mr. Sulu, plot a course for the Laurentian system, warp factor 3."

"Spock, don't do that," Kirk protested as he followed the Vulcan. "Running back to the rest of the fleet for a confab is a massive waste of time."

"These are the orders issued by Captain Pike when he left the ship."

"Yes, well he also ordered for us to go back and get him," you defended.

"Exactly," Kirk asserted. "Spock, you are Captain now. You have to make-"

Spock interrupted, "I am aware of my responsibilities Mr. Kirk."

"Every second we waste, Nero's getting closer to his next target."

"That is correct, and why I'm instructing you to accept the fact that I alone am in command."

"I will not allow us to go backward away from the problem, instead of hunting Nero down," Kirk barked furiously.

Spock rose from his chair and sternly said, "security, escort him out."

Two men approached Kirk and grabbed his arms leading him out of the bridge. Kirk abruptly stopped then pushed one man to the floor and elbowed the other in the face.

"Stop it," you yelled. You took a step towards them, but Leonard placed his arm in front of you to block your way. You looked up at him and all did was shake his head.

You looked back towards the fighting as Spock approached them. The Vulcan grabbed Kirk's shoulder in a particular manner causing the blonde to fall unconscious. Spock firmly ordered, "get him off this ship."