A/N: In memoriam to our dearly departed Leonard Nimoy, I wrote this one shot. I sincerely hope he is happy where he is now.
For the first time, the Enterprise was in orbit over New Vulcan, slowly drifting along the outermost edges of the atmosphere. What would normally be an occasion for celebration and shore leave, instead is filled only with sadness and grief. Several Vulcan dignitaries had come aboard to mourn the death of Ambassador Spock. Kirk and his usual bridge crew were in black for the occasion, only small colored stripes denoting their rank on their arms. Kirk spoke with a few dignitaries while Commander Spock spoke quietly to one side with his father. Kirk moved to the middle of the bridge, clearing his throat to gain everyone's attention. He nodded to Chekov, who started a broadcast for the entire ship.
"Today, we celebrate the life and accomplishments of one of the finest of Star Fleet's ranks." Everyone nodded, and Kirk caught the gaze of the younger Spock. "He was a fine man, who was able to balance his human and Vulcan halves perfectly to best serve the needs of all his people. None of us would be here today without him, and the best way we can repay our debt to him is to live our lives serving our galaxy." He turned to Sarek. "Sir, with your permission, we would like to honor Ambassador Spock with a traditional Earth salute." Sarek nodded, and the captain turned to his tactical officer, and gave a short command. The ship hummed as it turned away from New Vulcan and flew out a few miles, keeping the planet in sight. Kirk gave another short command, and seven shots were fired. There was a pause, then an additional seven shots. The crew and guests remained silent as a third volley was sent out into the stars, and only began to disperse as the sound of horns playing the old Earth Taps began to play. Commander Spock moved to the viewscreen to stare out over New Vulcan has his people began to leave.
"How are you holding up, Spock?" Kirk moved to stand next to his first officer, gazing out over the colony as well. Spock was silent for a few moments, and Kirk didn't push; he knew how hard it could be for him to express any feelings.
"Logically, I should have no reason to feel upset. He was technically me, and I am still here. And yet…" Spock took in a slightly shaky breath, causing Kirk to turn to him in surprise. The captain could see the pain in his friend's eyes, and he placed a hand on the other man's shoulder for comfort. "And yet, I feel a pain similar to losing my mother and my home. I feel as if I have lost a most important part of my existence." Kirk nodded.
"That makes sense. He helped us stop Nero and Khan, and even worked to help your people re-establish themselves." Kirk tightened his grip just a hair, enough for the Vulcan to feel it. "He was a hero…and he was family." Spock nodded slowly. Kirk turned and nodded for Sulu and the rest of the bridge crew to step out. They filed into the lift slowly, each nodding towards Spock. Once the door was shut, Kirk moved to step away. "I know Vulcans have a private form of mourning. You're free to use the Captain's Office if you need to get away at any time." Spock turned to give a grateful look to his friend, and went to follow him to the lift. Ambassador Spock may have passed, but he had left behind a beautiful legacy. As Spock turned to get one last glimpse of New Vulcan, he couldn't help a flush of pride. He would live to make his older self proud, and he would be sure to leave his mark as well.
On February 27, 2015, Leonard Nimoy was declared deceased due to COPD. He was 83 years old. Nimoy wasn't only an inspiration to geeks everywhere, he was also a US Army Veteran. He was a patriot, a hero, and a friend. Our hearts and our prayers go out to him and his family, and we know he's made it to the Promised Land. Thank you, Mr. Nimoy, for inspiring generations of people to believe in space, doing what's right, and the endless bond of friendship.