Jim of Oblivion
Obsession or Loyalty? Madness or persistence? Denial or faith?
In the wake of these questions, they all begin to fall.
Bones. Spock. The crew. His T. Kirk has nothing left to lose except his life.
He knows it will take nothing short of a miracle to save the day this time.
A miracle . . . or a certain sacrifice.
Prologue
"What do you plan to do?"
"Why, I shall test them, of course!"
"In what way? Has life not already tested them?"
"Not sufficiently, no. More tests are required."
"I ask again: of what sort?"
"The ultimate sort. Yes, the ultimate test."
"And what purpose shall this serve, other than pain?"
"They will gain knowledge . . . and if they survive, strength?"
". . . And for us?"
"Freedom. Think of it!"
"You will tell me what you've planned?"
"Yes, presently. There are three of them, so three tests are required."
"What is the nature of their jobs?"
"One is chief of medicine, another both first officer and scientist, and the last the captain of the vessel itself. My plan is simple. They are closely connected. If we draw one of them here, the other two will surely follow. We will plant a seed so strong in the captain of the vessel that he will be drawn to us, so that he will have to defeat the doctor and rescue the First . . . and for the First, a challenge to survive. Their trials, as their beings, shall be intertwined. Three tests within one."
"How shall we draw the First here? What method shall we use, dearest?"
"I must consider it further . . . Soon, we shall act."
"Are we to free the others, too? Surely you aren't thinking only of yourself!"
"I am not sure that they have awakened yet, or that they can be freed. We shall only initiate the event. We shall not interfere. What comes, comes. We have but to wait and see."