Brainship Enterprise

by Starsinger

Crossover between Anne McCaffrey's Brainship universe and Star Trek. The Enterprise is an experiment in many ways. This includes its brain, Jim. Don't own them.

"George? George, please, don't leave me!" tears streamed down Winona's face as she feared for her husband and the baby she was about to give birth to.

"I love you," George's voice came over the comm, then absolute silence as the baby came into the world. The baby wasn't even moving. The doctor looked worried as she turned to the emergency equipment behind her.

"WHAT'S WRONG. WHY WON'T HE CRY!" Winona screamed at the doctor. She watched as the infant fitfully moved. He looked perfect, he just wasn't crying.

"What's wrong?" George asked over the speaker.

"George, I need you here!" Winona cried.

"I'm coming," George said. "Brian has just booted me from the bridge," he whispered. Brian, the brain of the USS Kelvin. "Goodbye Brian."

"Take care of your family, George. I'll make sure you get away safely," a human voice sounded over the speaker. George turned and saluted the speaker before hurrying away. He made it into the shuttle in time for the hatch to slam shut behind him. Winona was quiet.

"We had to sedate her, Sir," the doctor told him. "Your son is stable. Unfortunately, he has some defects that ensure that he won't survive his first month, unless…"

"Unless he goes into the brain program," George whispered. He looked down at the tiny infant. A tube had been inserted into his throat to help him breathe. "My great-uncle was born with some defects," George whispered.

"I'm sorry, it happens," the doctor told him, laying a hand on his arm. "I've contacted the B&B program back on Earth. They'll be waiting for you when you get back," she told him. George turned back to his wife. How was he going to tell his wife that their son would never be coming home?

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Jimmy!" a voice called from spacedock. "Tell your minders that your family wants to see you!"

Jim chuckled. He would have shaken his head if that was possible. Sam's voice could be plainly heard over the speaker. Unlike most brains, Jim's family had kept in touch with him. They gave him a solid place to interact with softshells, unlike his classmates. "Hey, Gina, let him on the transporter pad."

"Not just Sam, sir," the enlisted woman told him. Jim had gone through a similar program to that of Starfleet Academy to prepare him for his assignment in Starfleet. He even wore the rank of Lieutenant.

"Did Mom and Dad come with you?" Jim asked.

"Of course we did!" Winona's voice sounded. "We didn't miss your graduation!" Jim's graduation from the shellperson program with honors in military tactics, medical training, diplomacy, and other things Starfleet would need for the person in charge of its newest ship. Jim activated the transporter pad and his family beamed aboard.

Jim had been born with underdeveloped lungs and other abnormalities that meant he couldn't survive outside the womb. So, Winona and George made the heart-wrenching decision to let him grow up under the leadership of the Brain and Brawn program that was as old as Starfleet. After the tinkering that would keep Jim forever small, he was slipped into his shell two weeks after his traumatic birth. He'd thrived and his early grasp of military tactics made his career path clear. It had been Captain Christopher Pike who had informed him that he would be on Starfleet's newest ship, Enterprise.

Jim laughed as his family fell out of the turbolift and onto the bridge. "Wow, Jimmy, this is all yours?" Sam asked.

"Isn't she beautiful?" Jim asked, obviously thrilled by his first assignment.

"She sure is, Son," George told him. "When's her maiden voyage."

"Soon, Just waiting on the graduating class from the Academy," Jim responded. Suddenly, a red alert from Earth alerted him. "Hey, guys, I don't mean to be abrupt, but we're receiving a distress signal from Vulcan. It's likely I'm going to be moving much sooner than that."

"Baby, are you sure?" Winona asked, glancing around the bridge.

"Yeah, well, until then…" George laughed as he sat in the center seat. It was surprisingly comfortable, and, as always, he wished he could protect both his sons from harm.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Chris glanced at Spock, "Is she ready?"

"Yes, James was installed just this morning. I still am not sure…" Spock responded.

"James is only the third shellperson to volunteer to be installed into a Starfleet vessel, Spock. I know you'd prefer T'kal, but she wasn't available," Chris responded as they exited the shuttle. He glanced behind him to find McCoy and other candidates nearby. "He'll be just as green as the rest of them. Jim!" Chris called.

"Yes, Chris," Jim's voice immediately answered. Many of the cadets jumped at the sound of the disembodied voice.

"You ready to go?" Chris asked not stopping for a moment.

"As ready as I can be, are we headed for Vulcan?" Jim asked.

"Yes, and don't forget to let the crew do what they're supposed to. Let the navigator plot the course," Chris said.

"Yes, sir," Jim responded. Chris had never dealt with a shellperson professionally before. He just hoped that the cadets remembered that this was Jim's home, and he couldn't leave and go on shoreleave like they could.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

McCoy stopped and listened to the light baritone seeming to come from everywhere. "Who was that?" he asked.

"Lieutenant James," Uhura responded with a grin. "We have a brain."

"Of course we have a brain," McCoy responded. "We wouldn't be here if we didn't."

Uhura grinned at McCoy's irascible behavior, "No, the ship, it has a brain." She laughed as the light slowly dawned over the good doctor. This was a brainship.