((I know I took an awful lot of time with this. I was uncertain where to start, wanted to have another short intro, and wondered how to do that. So here goes.

Again, I'll try and make this clear as a stand-alone. So I will occasionally refer back to Air and Earth, but mostly, this is a story of its own.

The chapter heading here was Under the Sea at first, but then I decided (after finishing chapter 6) that I'd try and be very consistent with my chapter headings: From 3 through 6 I had quotes from Britten's The Turn of the Screw. So I challenged myself to stick to those for the rest of the fic. I don't think that's going to be very difficult. So, no, not a Beatles reference. These are, by the way, words of the Governess. And I don't want the context of the opera associated with the text, that wouldn't work at all.))

Previously on The Elements (scroll down if you don't need it):

Air

Long after Jim's death on Veridian III (ST:VII), Spock starts to sense a mental call for help from him. He asks an aged Dr. McCoy to follow him into the blue and lands them on the planet Dainam, which is in a state of occupation. Meeting the local rebellion led by the Vulcan psychologist T'Kray, who crashed there decades ago, they also find Jim Kirk in a comatose state.

Unable to leave the shield-protected planet, they need to help the rebellion before they can leave. They regain their youth in an obscure bacteria-induced ritual and do their best to escape before the ultimate escalation takes place.

Earth

After escaping Dainam, Spock, McCoy, and T'Kray decide to return to Starfleet. Their long absence from the service prompts them all to voluntarily take a so-called foreign rank evaluation: one year of training before they return to active duty. Jim is placed in engineering, Spock in science, and the other two in the medical department of the Cristobal de Morales space station.

While people on the planet below start to vanish mysteriously, those on the space station commit random acts of sabotage they do not remember. It is only after a horrible accident they understand the two problems are linked.

Jim couldn't keep the smile from his face. He was sitting on the bridge of a ship – his ship!, would receive the details for their first mission in a moment, was back in business … Most of the crew would have heard the news that he had practically risen from the grave. Even if it wasn't anywhere near that simple, the fact remained that he, Spock, and Bones were a lot younger than they were supposed to be, and what was more, alive. The latter had, the night before, wistfully remarked that without the ritual that had given them back almost a century of their time, he would be dead by now. Then the melancholy had given way to happiness so pure that Jim knew all was well with the world. His reverie was interrupted by the Andorian communications officer.

'I have an incoming call from the Cristóbal de Morales space station.' Her voice was quiet but audible – an odd quality but one Jim was certain he would appreciate.

'On Screen,' he said simply. The face of the Admiral appeared, and from the look the two ensigns in front of him exchanged, people were impressed.

'Interesting crew you have here. Would you like to introduce them to me?' Ndaga's eyes twinkled, and Jim knew what this was. Andorian names were almost as hard to pronounce as Vulcan last names. That last was something he wouldn't even try.

'Lieutenant Spock, Lieutenant Commander Hannah Blau, Lieutenants Sereli Zh'Rane, Jakub Blanik, and Niall Doherty. And right here in front of me, Ensigns Melav and Kathy Mellow.' Judging from the slight smirk on Zh'Rane's face, his Andorian wasn't all that perfect.

'The names of your navigator and helmsman sound very much alike. And it seems you didn't press your point?' Jim smiled. He couldn't see Melav's face, but could very well imagine his expression at that remark. Tellarites probably didn't appreciate that kind of humour.

'I decided I'd rather not make too much noise before someone notices that a Lieutenant serves as first officer.' He had wanted everything to be as it had been at the first five year mission, but Ndaga had recommended him to adapt to the changing times and choose someone else as head of the science department. Nowadays, a first officer was just that and had no other responsibilities than those that came with the job.

'Then Spock is first officer only, and Blau is the head of sciences,' Ndaga concluded.

'Yes, sir, and second officer.'

'It will be interesting to see what you do with this constellation.' Jim's smile didn't falter. He also knew what this was. A Tellarite helmsman might be a challenge.

'Representatives of all the founders of the Federation. I must say, I like it that way, Admiral.'

'Have you received your orders from Williams or didn't he say yet?' Jim licked his lips.

'He … seemed to have little time on his hands.' Admiral Ndaga laughed.

'I translate that to, he didn't want to talk to you more than was necessary. Oh, there's your counsellor, too.' T'Kray had exited the turbolift and stood tall beside her seat. 'You can sit, Lieutenant.' Ndaga cleared his throat. 'You will go to a planet called Driin. It consists mostly of water, with only one small mass of land. Driin is inhabited by a species commonly called water dwellers. Any experience with them?' Jim raised his eyebrows.

'No, none so far. Blau?'

'They're a very unique species that has sought membership of the Federation for a couple of centuries. They call themselves the Dariis. Their major problem so far was the fact that they can't survive outside the water for a long time. Three years ago, they published the results of research enabling them to do so. They wanted to test their equipment in vessels that aren't flooded, but since then nothing has been heard from them.'

'Precisely. Learn what their problem is, help, if they need it and if you can. There were also plans to move the human settlement underwater because of the inconveniently small space on the surface. That seems to have been done, because nothing is on the island. Personally, I fear they're dead. There is no contact with them, either. Find the water dwellers, ask them where the hell the humans went, and send a report to Starfleet command. You will also meet with another vessel in orbit around Driin, but they will arrive after you. They bring a couple of cadets for training. Until they do, be as useful as you can. Farewell, Captain, and good luck.'

'Thank you, Admiral.'