Captain James Tiberius Kirk pursued the white haired, bright blue eyed Tolian Soran through the rocky, desert terrain of Veridian III. His mission was to prevent Soran from activating the missile that would destroy that system's sun while Captain Jean Luc Picard attempted to reach the launchpad and disable it. It wasn't the first time the legendary starship captain had to chase a madman on a strange world in an attempt to save the universe as he knew it. Inarguably though, the most thrilling chase had been hunting down a re-creation of an old Academy bully, Finnegan on Wrigley's Pleasure Planet. This time though, the madman was hellbent on returning to the Nexus that the captain of the current USS Enterprise had just pulled Kirk from; the Nexus that ironically the Enterprise B had denied the El Aurian 80 years prior. The Nexus, an energy ribbon that existed separate of the space/time continuum, had been believed by the El Aurians to be a place of eternal peace and joy; a place where any curiosity, dream, hope, and wish could be fulfilled without disruption to time or space. Soran was desperate to return there while Kirk had been content to leave once he'd discovered there were no tangible results or consequences for one's actions. In essence he had no purpose there and nothing to work for. And that just wasn't what James T. Kirk was about.
As the aging legend clambered over another large boulder he reflected with some amusement at how fussy his longtime friend, Dr. McCoy had been over the younger man's health and diet over the years.
He shouldn't have worried so much. I get so much exercise chasing these lunatics through the galaxy I don't have time to put on weight.
Still it was no doubt largely due to the good doctor's exemplary care over the years and constant nagging that Jim Kirk could still keep up with these increasingly younger villains. For a fleeting moment, he wondered if Bones could still be alive, what Spock was up to? Sadara? Their daughter, Madeline? He would have to ask Captain Picard if they survived this.
Soran had sprinted out of sight, but his nearly all black clothing wouldn't be too hard to spot against the whiter, earthier hues of the surrounding terrain. Hopping over another boulder, Kirk found himself staring at Soran and Soran's weapon that was aimed at Kirk's face at point blank range. Surprise filled him at being caught off guard like that, but turned to amusement as Picard leapt on Soran from behind. The two Starfleet captains wrestled with the El Aurian. An elbow to the face knocked Picard over a large boulder with a grunt. The older captain used the distraction to throw several good strikes at Soran knocking him over the edge of the platform they'd chased each other onto. Only quick reflexes allowed Soran to grasp a rope hanging from the platform; his very literal lifeline.
Satisfied that Soran was sufficiently distracted for the next few minutes, Kirk and Picard bolted for the missile launchpad only to be thwarted by Soran and the control pad that cloaked the missile launcher. Suddenly the rope that Soran was clinging to slipped and his weapon and control pad flew out of his hands to land on an old metal bridge nearby. That control pad was the captains' only hope of preventing the destruction of the Veridian sun. Charging onto the bridge, Captain Kirk pressed a button and the missile launcher rematerialized just as Picard approached the platform.
"PICARD! Get away from that launcher!" Soran bellowed. "NOW!"
Picard backed away obediently, but his work had already been completed. He had locked the launching clamps preventing the missile from leaving the launchpad, but still set to blow. Soran flew up the stairs just in time to be blow to bits right along with his launchpad.
Joining Kirk some distance away, Picard watched the billowing smoke dissipate with satisfaction.
Well, I'd say we made a difference, wouldn't you?" Kirk grinned.
Picard smiled with relief as the energy ribbon sailed harmlessly over their heads. "Oh yes."
***
It was several hours later that Captain Kirk was able to settle into guest quarters aboard one of the starships that harbored survivors of the Enterprise D. He had joined Captain Picard in assisting with rescue efforts once they were located and returned to the wreckage of the Enterprise. He had felt slightly uncomfortable with the curious glances of the crew, but everyone was too distracted with more emergent matters to pursue anything further. Though exhaustion settled over him like a thick fog, the storied Starfleet officer still didn't feel capable of sleep. He had too many questions that needed answered and it wasn't until now that the opportunity had presented itself.
"Computer. Coffee, black." Kirk approached the replicator, one of many 24th century devices that was going to take some getting used to, and gently retrieved the steaming mug from the small alcove. He settled into the chair at the barren, standard issue desk and spent the next hour exploring the fates of his friends and family as he sipped the bitter fluid.
Discovering that Spock was on Romulus as an ambassador, Kirk made a mental note to investigate how one would go about getting a message to him in this era. Surely there had to be some protocols and he didn't want to do anything without doublechecking the rules and regulations of this new time he lived in. Bones, it seemed, was still on Earth in Georgia at a wizened old age almost unheard of for a human. He wondered if Bones and Spock still communicated with each other. As he continued scrolling he found to his surprise that Scotty had made it into the 24th century as well via a jury rigged transporter. Kirk chuckled. Leave it to Montgomery Scott to cheat time and technology once again.
He had saved his wife and daughter for last; almost afraid of what he would find. Would his daughter still be alive at this time? She had been in Starfleet for just over a year when he'd disappeared. What if something had happened to her on a landing party or an attack on her ship? As it turned out, Madeline had served aboard the Excelsior for another year before returning to Earth to marry and start a family. She had met her husband aboard ship and had done similar to her mother in putting family first and resuming her career after her children were grown. Four children at that. It took Kirk a long moment to process that he had four grandchildren and probably great grandchildren. It pained him to realize he had missed the opportunity to be a grandfather when it mattered the most. Madeline had eventually gone on to become a starship captain, but was now teaching at Starfleet Academy, feeling that she no longer had the energy for starship command. She was now a century old this year, Kirk reflected with some surprise; and she was only a quarter Vulcan. It didn't surprise the starship captain that his daughter had run out of steam a little sooner than her mother.
Her mother… Kirk had decided to marry Sadara Lochlan shortly after the incident with Sybok on Nimbus III in 2287. He had told McCoy and Spock shortly before that mission that "men like us don't have families." The ensuing events had made him rethink his position on that and what place his longtime love and mother of his daughter should have in his life. Her pregnancy in 2270 had come as a surprise to them both, but had been met with joy from Jim Kirk. The admiralty was a poor fit for the energetic and charismatic explorer and the coming child was a breath of fresh air for him. Eventually, Kirk returned to his beloved Enterprise creating some strife between him and Sadara over what was best for Madeline. She eventually cooled off and he spent many a shore leave with her and their daughter. Sadara had always greeted him with warmth and the same attentiveness she had when they had been serious. In many ways, Kirk felt less like the ex picking his child up for visitation and more like the Starfleet spouse returning home on leave. He felt slightly ashamed that he hadn't made the distinction until after the incident with Sybok.
Lochlan was in command of the USS Sovereign, a brand new class of starship that the coming Enterprise E was rumored to be part of. Apparently she truly couldn't get starship command out of her system. Perhaps he could join her on the Sovereign somehow. He seriously doubted he'd be given command of a starship with virtually no knowledge of the current era's technology or anything else about the 24th century for that matter. He needed to get the right seat ride for a while until he got caught up; and what better place to do it than with someone who had come from his own time as well? As he got up to prepare for bed, James Tiberius Kirk grinned and pondered ways of surprising one Captain Lochlan on her own starship. That is, if the news hadn't already warped its way to her already.