Wow, I can't believe how much has changed since I started this. I went/graduated college, got a teaching job, got married, had a kid, got a new teaching job, and here we are.
This is a story I've been thinking about a lot recently and I would like to continue it. This story was on my old account Animalgurl33. I created a new account because not only do I not have access anymore, but I wanted a fresh start. So, here's to a new beginning!
My plan is to edit/rewrite the chapters as I go, I'd like to think my writing has improved since I started writing this 6 years ago haha. Please feel free to critique and provide feedback in a review. I teach that feedback is a necessary part of the writing process, so obviously I'm going to take my own advice.
Note about the story: I tried looking for certain Vulcan words, but there was nothing I could find to get across what I wanted so I totally just made it up. To differentiate Vulcan and Standard all Vulcan spoken will be in italics.
Without further ado, a newly renovated chapter one of "As the World Falls Down."
Sarek blinked his tired eyes a few times as the elegant swirls of Vulcan script began to swim together on his PADD. He initialed halfway down on the last of the paperwork, indicating he had read through and made the appropriate edits and suggestions to the renewal peace contract between Vulcan and Andora-135. They were a cautious people, prone to putting off important decisions and agreements until they felt secure.
Based on past experience, we can expect 2 more rejections until they agree.
Sometimes being an ambassador was rather tedious, but he found satisfaction in his job overall. After all, it had brought him to his wife.
He glanced towards the window and saw the streaks of orange, violet, and red meet on the brown desert along the horizon. Buildings obstructed the view only slightly. He saw few hover cars out tonight as the temperature began to plummet further as the sun began to descend. He knew Amanda would be wondering what had kept him late in his office yet again. She would not be surprised, however. With this in mind, he began clearing and organizing his desk. With one final glance, he picked up his PADD and left.
Outside, Sarek wrapped his shawl around him a little tighter, feeling the desert chill begin to seep in. Through the bond he could feel Amanda thinking about their niece Mia. She was very bright and talented. Her dream had always been to become a geneticist and study at the University of Gol. She had managed to acquire a highly coveted interview, the entire point of her trip, at the University. It was smaller than ShiKahr, but the genetics program was just as good. While he was proud of his niece, he worried about her ability to cope, emotionally, with the change. It had taken Amanda years to feel remotely welcome, still at times she faced prejudice.
As he pulled into his designated parking space he recalled the conversation she had announced her interview. Happiness had radiated from her words. He felt a gentle probing at the bond pull him from his thoughts. He got out of the car and started towards the door. The spicy smell of sautéed voktal mixed with a sweet sauce greeted him as he opened the door. Amanda had concocted the sauce herself when she found the dish too spicy. Sarek found he enjoyed the mix greatly.
"Hello my love, I apologize for my lack of attention. I was thinking of Mia's recent accomplishment." Sarek held out his hand in ozh'esta,which Amanda happily reciprocated.
"You worry for her is nice but unnecessary." Amanda kissed his cheek before ushering him into the dining area.
"I do not worry for her per se. She can handle herself quite well and it would be illogical to worry for her. I am simply concerned on how well she will adjust to Vulcan should she be accepted." Amanda sat across from Sarek at the low table.
"My silly Vulcan husband." Amanda smiled as she took a bite.
"My illogical Human wife." Sarek responded before taking a sip of tea. Amanda could feel the love through their bond. However, the moment was short lived as Amanda began feeling her throat burn. Sarek raised an eyebrow as he watched Amanda chug her tea before she poured more sauce over the dish.
"What?" Amanda questioned with a slight pout. Sarek said nothing and continued his meal. She stirred the sauce in but couldn't help but laugh as she felt Sarek's humor through the bond.
Mia smiled as the sun warmed her face. Graduation was over, her interview was on the horizon, and she couldn't be happier. She decided to head back inside. Her father, Captain Jasper Grayson, had recently been relocated to the Northeastern Branch. Mia had nowhere else to go and had been permitted to stay there until her trip to Vulcan. She found most bases had a similar layout and had no issues navigating her way back her room. She thought about her interview. She would contact aunt Amanda tonight to confirm their meeting time and location upon her arrival. She had managed to convince her parents to let her leave a week early to stay with them before her interview. While she was excited to learn, she was looking forward to the social aspect. She hadn't had too many chances to practice her Vulcan at University. She had always given Spock and her uncle hugs, but of course she knew better than to do that on Vulcan. She took out her tablet to review her packing list one more time before she went to the mess hall for lunch.
"Read those scans one more time. If they come up the same, do one more scan." Captain Jasper Grayson rubbed his eyes tiredly. There might not be enough in the budget to buy a new interstellar scanner. He didn't exactly want to explain that they needed MORE new equipment.
"Yes sir." Ensign Walsh reread the scans for what seemed to be the hundredth time.
"The readings are still the same sir."
Captain Grayson sighed and walked over to ensign Walsh.
"What the hell is going on." He muttered.
"What should we do sir?" Ensign Walsh looked at Captain Grayson expectantly. Others in the room looked nervous as well.
"Well" He sighed, "Send them in to command. Maybe other bases have gotten similar readings."
"Yes sir." Others did not look comforted, but continued on, not wanting to get yelled at. Things had been... tense lately.
Days after the scan was sent in, Captain Grayson received a call.
"Spock!" He smiled at his nephew "I haven't heard from you in a while! How are you?"
"Hello Captain Grayson. I am well." Spock replied in his usual demeanor.
"C'mon Spock, you can drop the Captain." He rolled his eyes and sat down in front of his computer. He swore he saw a corner of Spock's mouth twitch.
"Well...uncle... I'm calling you in regards to the scans sent." All humor left his face as Spock had his full attention.
"The scans are very similar to something we saw before a lightning storm. At this time we are unsure of what this means or what those scans mean. They appear to be getting closer however. We are keeping scans open to track more anomalies." Spock folded his hands as he let the information sink in. Captain Grayson looked concerned. He could not think of anything to say.
Mia looked around at her half empty room one more time. Sure, it had been sparse to begin with, but it was still her room. She sighed happily and shoved her chargers in her bag. She swung it over her shoulder as her dad walked in to take her bags. She was ready to be off the Starfleet compound and on Vulcan.
"What did you pack? Bricks?" He joked as he easily lifted her bag onto his shoulder. Her mother walked in and patted her back. "Are you sure you have everything? We won't get to see you for a whole year if you get it!" Her mother had many concerns about her only baby potentially spending a year off planet.
"Mom" Mia laughed "I'll be okay I promise. I'm not top of my class for anything! Besides, I have Uncle Sarek and Aunt Amanda."
"Still. You're going to be away from us for a whole year!" her father patted her back with his free hand.
"Well if you DID forget anything," Her mother looked at her pointedly "We can always try and ship it to you honey." Her mom kissed her head reassuringly as they reached baggage. Mia felt sadness start to creep up as she saw her father give her bags to security to be scanned and packed. The sadness grew as she saw her mother smiling at her. Maybe this year would be longer than she thought.
'Well, that depends on if I get the spot in the first place..." Mia thought. She bit her lip as her father ushered her towards the entry terminal. She couldn't shake the sadness and anxiety that had begun to build.
Finally, they reached the terminal. There was a paused moment of silence as she and her parents stood by the entrance. She hugged them, taking in their warmth.
'This may be the last time I see them for a whole year.' Mia squeezed her parents a little tighter. She memorized their smell. How her mothers blond hair had started streaking with shining silvery strands. The curly mess that her fathers hair currently was. The wrinkles around his eyes from many joyous moments. Their love for her.
"We love you honey." Her mother cupped her face "Make sure you call us as soon as you land safely okay?" Mia nodded, unable to speak for fear she would start crying.
"Yeah" Her father began "and no foreign romances either!" he laughed and ruffled her hair. Mia couldn't help but laugh as she hugged her father and rolled her eyes. Typical of her father to embarrass her.
"Before you go, your mother and I got you a gift." Her father pulled out a box. Mia was surprised at her father's sudden seriousness. Her mother smiled as he handed it to Mia. Inside was a delicate silver pendant in the shape of the Starfleet insignia with a small diamond in the middle. It was strung on a thick braid of silver. Mia was at a loss for words.
"It's beautiful!" Was all she could manage to get out.
"It's a locket! It has a picture of us from last Christmas." Her mothers voice wavered slightly as she began to get emotional. Her father helped her put it on.
"In case you get homesick." He winked. Mia threw her arms around her parents one last time. Her flight was called and with one last hug and kiss, she left. She couldn't shake the feeling of wrongness as she boarded.
"She's growing up so fast." Her mother smiled. Jasper put his arm around her and held her close.
"We'll see her soon." He assured his wife before kissing her head.
Strapping herself into her seat, Mia looked out the window and sighed. She was finally on her way. She had dreamed of going to Vulcan ever since she heard her Aunt Amanda describe the desert sunsets and the fauna that bloomed only at night. After a moment she decided to dig out her headphones from her carry on. After a moment she realized she had packed them in her other suitcase. She frowned as she shoved her belongings back in her bag. She saw someone take the seat next to her out of the corner of her eye. Looking up, she saw a young Vulcan man sit down. Their eyes met and he gave a brief nod before turning his attention back to the PADD in his hand. Taking the hint, she returned her eyes to the window. She could feel anxiety knotting her stomach and making her feel almost nauseous. The ship rumbled and vibrated as the ship warmed up and prepared for take off. She clutched her necklace absentmindedly.
'What will Vulcan be like?' She wondered 'Will I be rejected instantly? What if I make a mistake and accidentally insult them? What if nobody talks to me?' In a few minutes, the ship was beginning its ascent. Soon after, the captain made his announcement that the ship would soon be leaving the atmosphere, and to expect some turbulence, when Mia saw a bright flash of light. The ship swerved suddenly, the captain no doubt caught off guard. Mia looked around to see if anyone else was panicking like she was.
"Did you see that?" She asked the young Vulcan beside her.
"I did not." He answered without even glancing up. She craned her neck to look towards Earth as the ship exited the Earth's gravitational pull. All she could see was a bright light coming down.
Panic began to swell in her stomach and send ice through her veins.
'What the hell...' She wondered. As soon as the captain gave the all clear that they could unstrap, she quickly did so and ran to the nearest window. A loud explosion shook the ship and made Mia nearly fall into the lap of her seatmate.
'Must be the equivalent of a middle finger...' Mia thought as she caught her balance and faced the other window. The Vulcan sitting next to her also unbuckled and made his way over to the window as well. The other passengers were beginning to whisper about what exactly was going on. Mia could still see the Earth. What she saw horrified her and sent icy chills through her veins. Her stomach dropped down and she momentarily felt like she was falling.
"What the hell is that thing" A man exclaimed on her other side, peering through the window as well. He looked to be in his late 50s with salt and pepper hair.
"Attention everyone, this is the captain speaking." Everyone listened but didn't dare take their eyes from the window. She could see a ship far off. A beam of light came from the ship down to the surface of Earth.
"We have been contacted by Starfleet and have been ordered to stay put until assistance arrives. Please sit and remain buckled in. Everything is fine." The captain ordered, not sounding entirely convincing. Maybe Starfleet would need to talk to everyone onboard who had seen what happened in order to create an incident report. Everyone grudgingly made their way to their seats and buckled in. There was an uncanny silence as everyone wondered what exactly was happening. She noticed they were slowly floating away from Earth, far away enough away so as not be pulled back in by gravity. She couldn't stop looking at the window. The sinking feeling still in the pit of her stomach; whatever was going on could not be good.
It had been about 20 minutes with still no news on what was going on. There was still silence and dread in the air. Even the Vulcans focused their attention on the window. She could hear them whispering, but it was too quiet for her to catch. She fingered the necklace again, thinking of her parents. Were they safe? Did they know what was going on? She knew her father would be one of the first to respond since he was a captain. She bit her lip and considered pulling out her PADD to call them.
Another blast shook the ship and another flash nearly blinded Mia. She rubbed her eyes and, not caring what the captain had ordered, unbuckled and went to the window. By the time she got to the window, she saw the last bit of the Earth crumbling. She pressed her hand to the window, the other resting lightly over her mouth. Shock numbed her as she stared uncomprehendingly at where the Earth had been. The salt and pepper haired man appeared next to her. She heard him gasp as he, too, searched for Earth.
"No.." Was all she managed to sputter. She felt her knees wobble and she had to catch herself on the window. She rested her head on the window and closed her eyes, focusing on her breathing. She felt sick and dizzy. The older man put a hand on her shoulder. The tension in the air was palpable as more passengers unbuckled and looked out the windows to see what the fuss was about. She looked up and saw tears in his eyes. She touched her own check and felt moisture. When had she started crying? Images of her parents came to mind and she felt her shoulders shake as more tears came and reality began to set in. She preferred being numb. The man next to her wrapped his arm around her in solidarity and she gratefully accepted. Vulcans were outright staring at this point but she didn't care. She turned and hugged him and cried into his shoulder, not caring who saw or how illogical and emotional she looked to them.
"Attention passengers" the captain came on again, his voice gravelly and hoarse "we will be departing for Vulcan momentarily..." Mia sniffed and rubbed her eyes. She made eye contact with the man and knew at that moment no words were needed. They both knew that there were other humans out there. They would survive. They would be okay, eventually.
She made her way to her chair; eyes red and puffy, and strapped herself back in. Her seatmate had already done so. She gripped her armrest tightly. Whenever the tears threatened to come back she somehow managed to keep them at bay with deep breaths and a blank mind. She felt eyes on her and looked up. The Vulcan man was observing her quietly. She met his eyes for a brief second before turning her eyes to her hands in her lap.
"Earth is gone." She whispered. The overpowering loneliness and sadness filled her completely as tears broke through her fragile barricade and rolled down her cheek.
"Mom...Dad..." She thought as the ship jumped into gear, and made its way to Vulcan.
The crew of the Enterprise received the distress call from Earth. They warped as quickly as possible. But, to their horror, they were too late. The readings they had previously seen were there, only dangerously high. With shields up, they surveyed the damage. Kirk said nothing, his lips in a pursed tightly. Uhura felt herself tearing up as she gripped Spock's arm. Her home had crumbled apart, and was gone.
Alright I hope you enjoyed it! I think this is a huge improvement on what it used to be. I'm going to try and upload one more revised chapter while I'm still on break but I can't promise anything. If you have any comments or feedback, please feel free to review. Thanks again for taking the time to read!