Historians note: This story takes place a few weeks after the events in ST: Beyond.

"Edith".

It was the dream again. Kirk had had it for several nights in a row. But, tonight he was able to remember one small detail, a name. Edith. Who was she? Why did the name bring Kirk such sorrow? It was an old Earth name, almost never used anymore. Kirk wasn't sure if he had even met anyone named Edith.

Kirk slid out of bed and rubbed his temples. It felt as if there was a memory there, but he just couldn't remember it. The more he tried, the more his head would hurt. I should talk to McCoy, Kirk thought, but the Dr. had taken a temporary assignment at Yorktown Base.

No, the Dr. would be too illogical and emotional. Kirk shook his head, that had been the voice of Ambassador Spock. This is getting weird, he thought, must be the proximity to the Neutral Zone and the fact a Romulan warbird was mirroring the Enterprise's every move. I'll talk to Spock, he decided.

Spock was in meditation when the door chimed.

"Enter", he said, with just a touch of irritation.

Kirk entered, Spock started to rise, but Kirk motioned for him to stay.

"Spock" Kirk started, "have you ever heard of the Talishartaln?"

Spock arched an eyebrow and said, " Yes. But I should ask how you know of the Talishartaln?"

"I don't know, it's a word that just came to me on my way here. But, I think it's something you did to me or will do, or Ambassador Spock did it to me on Delta Vega."

"I find that highly unlikely. The Talishartaln is an illegal mindmeld that was performed by ancient Vulcan's. A sort of mind control to cause victims to commit acts, usually illegal, at a predetermined time or place."

"The ambassador had melded with me, he forced information into my mind that he didn't have time to explain. Could he have done that? Given me instructions? And it's time to carry them out?"

"That is a possibility, he, as I was, was emotionally compromised. We have entered, what for us is unexplored space, that could be a triggering event."

" Well," Kirk rubbed his temples, "there's something here and I just can't get to it. The more I think about it, the more my head hurts".

"A mindmeld. With your permission of course, if there are any memories or instructions planted, I can extract them."

Kirk dropped to his knees in front of Spock.

"Do it, you can't scramble my mind any worse than it is now."

Spock placed his fingers on Kirk's face, found the right pressure points.

"My mind to your mind..."

An hour later, the two men stood in stellar cartography. A 3- D rendering of the star systems ahead floated in front of them. Spock maneuvered a courser through the stars and highlighted a small red dwarf star.

"This map is not entirely accurate, due to this being unexplored space," Spock explained. "But if the coordinates I extracted from your memory are correct, this is the location of the Guardian of Forever."

"Seems right." Kirk said. Now able to recall the memories the Ambassador had placed in his head. "But something's not right. Computer project the Romulan Neutral Zone."

A blue border appeared deviding the map in two.

"That can't be right, that's Romulan space. How can that be if we were there in the original time line?" Kirk asked.

"Events", Spock replied, "have played out differently since the interference by Nero. Perhaps, this was Federation space in that line. Now there is a new imperative. Like us, the Romulans have just begun to explore this sector. It is only a matter of time before they find the Guardian. We must be there first."

"You're right. If they find it, the Romulans won't hesitate to use it to change the history of every planet in this Quadrant to fit their needs.". Kirk leaned to look closer at the map. "It's close to the Neutral Zone, a shuttle craft?"

" To far. A shuttle would take days."

"I wish we still had that cloaking device we borrowed from your girlfriend." Kirk realised he had said something wrong. "I'm sorry, Spock. I forgot it bothers you, what we did to her."

"Couldn't be helped. A necessary consequence of our mission. I just hope the Romulan Preator wasn't too unkind to her. Here, "Spock said changing the subject back to the matter at hand, "this is the closest the Enterprise can get before crossing the Neutral Zone."

"I see it. At maximum warp, we can be there in minutes. If we catch the Romulans by surprise, we beam down and with a little luck we change the time line before anyone knows what happened."

"...And that's what we intend to do.". Kirk's voice echoed through Enterprises corridors. "It will be risky and, needlessly to say, very unauthorized. But, if successful, we will have saved Vulcan in the past and Romulus in the future. Anyone who doesn't want to take part, have your department heads contact Lt. Uhura. I will make arrangements for a shuttle to take you back to Yorktown Base."

He nodded at Uhura. "Channel closed.". She said and immediately began fielding calls from across the ship.

"Sir? What will happen to me?". Kirk turned to the Environmental station. Ensign Chris Albright, a former Redshirt Kirk had recently promoted to a bridge station. The young man was very concerned.

"I don't follow," Kirk said.

"My mother's first husband, was killed when the Kelvin encounteed Nero. She remarried and I was born eight years later. What will happen to me if those events are changed?"

Kirk glanced at Spock, who remained silent. This was something he had not considered. The Kelvin time line had existed for over a generattion. How many people would just cease to exist? Would saving two planets outweigh the potential costs?

Kirk hesitated a moment and said, "I don't know."

The young man stared at the deck for a moment, then looked up and said, "I can't stand in the way of billions of other lives. I'm in."

"That's the spirit."

"Sir," Uhura said, "I've been contacted by all departments, crew is good to go."

"Great. Sulu adjust course, two two three mark eight, take us closer to the neutral zone, but maintain current speed. Let's not alarm the Romulans too much."

He glanced at the tactical display above Spock's station. Across the neutral zone, the warbird had already changed course, keeping pace with the Enterprise. Then at the chronometer above the forward view screen, a long five hour wait to make the jump to maximum warp.

Nearly five hours had passed, the bridge crew was breathing a little easier, the Enterprise had pulled away and put a little distance between them and the warbird. Except Kirk, moving closer to the neutral zone and the Romulus are falling back. Why? Unconsciously his hand dropped and felt the phaser at his side.

Kirk turned his chair and faced the engineeing station.

"Scotty?"

"Engine's primed and ready for maximum warp. Waiting for your word."

"Chekhov?"

"Course plotted and laid in. Sir."

Kirk watched the clock.

"Sulu...go."

On screen the stars shifted direction and began streaming passed the ship at a higher rate. For a momen, the pitch of the engines drown out all sound.

"Waning," the computer screamed, "Enterprise in violation of treaty..."

"Shut that off," Kirk yelled, "I know what we're in violation of."

A glance at the tactical display showed the Enterprise had caught the warbird by surprise and had already put a great distance between them. In fact they were yet to change course or speed. What are they up to? Kirk thought.

"Estimating fifteen minutes to Guardian planet." Spock announced.

The minutes passed slowly, the tension rising. The warbird had finally changed course and was in pursuit. But was far behind. There was only a few minutes till beam down.

Kirk stood.

"Spock, I think it is time to go." He surveyed the bridge. "It's been an honor to serve with all of you. Soon, I think we will see each other in a better time. Scotty, you have the con."

They had just started for the turbo lift, then an alarm sounded. Spock rushed back to his station. Kirk glanced at tactical. Spock announced what was obvious to everyone.

"Three Romulan warbirds decloacking, port side aft. On intercept course. They are channeling all power to engines and increasing speed."

"Time till intercept?" Kirk asked.

"If we both maintain course and speed, they will intercept just after we drop out of warp."

"I'm staying here. Spock, you'll have to do this alone."

"Understood."

Spock stated for the turblift

"Wait." uhura said. She stepped down to the command chair. "Sir, request permission to accompany Mr. Spock, he may need someone."

"Denied. I'll need you at communications"

"Sir," she glanced at the environmental station. "Mr. Albright is perfectly capable of handling communications. Besides, I don't think you'll be talking to anyone much in the next few minutes."

Kirk was about to shout no. Thought better if it.

"Mr. Albright, take communications."

"Aye Sir."

"Permission granted."

"Thank you sir.". Uhura turned to join Spock.

"Nyota," Kirk said, "good luck.". Kirk watched as his two officers stepped into the turblift. He looked at the tactical display. This is going to be close.

Spock and Uhura took their place on the transporter pad.

"Mr. Kile you must initiate transport as soon as we come out of warp." Spock said.

"With all the sub-space distortion at that time, I may not be able to put you down right on target."

"Do your best, Mr. Kile, that's all you can do."

"Aye Sir."

Kirk watched the view screen as the Enterprise dropped out of warp and settled into orbit around a barren uninviting planet.

Kiles voice came over the intercom. "Transport complete."

"Raise shields, Sulu..." Before Kirk could complete the order an explosion slammed him into the back of his command chair. Several crew were slung across the bridge as the Enterprise yawed and pivoted out of control. The view screen showed the three warbirds had come out of warp with full disruptors firing.

"Chekhov, return fire. Phasers and full spread photon torpedoes." Kirk shouted. "Sulu, evasive manuvours.". A single phaser beam stabbed uselessly into space.

The Enterprise continued to pitch and yaw as the Romulan onslaught continued. Kirk heard the damage reports.

Hull breach's, main power off line, casualties, warp and impulse out. Then there was a terrible shearing sound and Kirk knew it was over. He watched in horror as one of the warp nacheles spun end over end towards the planet below.

"Mr. Albright signal the Romulans, we surrender."

On the planet below, Spock and Uhura found themselves surrounded by the ruins of an ancient city. Spock took a reading from his tricorder. Kile had missed the mark, but by less than a hundred meters.

"This way." He said. The two began running, scrambling around toppled columns, broken brick and mortar. All that remained of a once great civilization. After a few moments, they reached what may have once been a plaza.

And there, at one end. Looking just as Spock had seen it in the memory he extracted from Kirk. Was the Guardian of Forever. They walked up to.

"This is it." Spock announced.

"This?" Uhura asked. "It looks like more ruins."

"Guardian, it is I, Spock.". What seemed a long moment passed. Then the Guardian began to glow and there was a deep humming sound from beneath the ground. Then it spoke.

"For a long time I have awaited your return. Your time grows short."

The opening filled with what appeared to be streamers of light and smoke. Spock could see images moving around. Spock pulled Uhura close.

"We must jump at the same time, or we may end up days or months apart."

From the corner of his eye, he saw the blue sparkle of a Romulan transporter. Twenty meters away, five soldiers appeared, armed with disrupter rifles, they took aim at the two.

"Hold your fire." A woman stepped out in front of the men and glared at Spock. Spock stole a glance. It was her, the commander they had stolen the cloacking device from. Only now she wore the uniform of a sub-commander and the insignia of ship's security. A terrible fall for someone of her status. She drew a hand held disrupter, leveled. It at Spock and fired.

Uhura tooka step forward and took the full blast and crumpled at Spock's feet.

No time to morn, the time to jump was now. If successful, this would never happen.

Spock jumped into the opening.

The woman adjusted her aim and fired again.

The Guardian flared into a blinding light, and vanished.

The Romulan was shocked. Her weapon was not set at a high enough setting to vaporize such a large object. She approached and examined were the Guardian had been, there was no trace of it. She heard a rasping sound. Uhura was still alive. She kneeled down and stared into her eyes.

"That shot was meant for...him. Did he push you, did he order you to sacrifice yourself?"

With all the defiance she could muster, Uhura said, "My... choice."

"Why?"

Uhura gasped, "Do your people know of...love?"

The Romulan lowered her disrupter, her face softened, "Yes, we know of love."

Uhura's gasping ceased, her body was still. The former warbird commander reached out with two fingers and gently closed her eyes.

"Rihansu kalar so aein.". A prayer for the afterlife to accept the spirit of a worthy sister.

"The Romulans aren't responding." Albright yelled from communication's."

Didn't think they would. Kirk thought. "All hands this is the Captain,.to your escape pods, abandon ship, I repeat, abandon ship.". That'll give them something else to shoot at, Kirk thought.

The forward bridge bulk head and the view screen vanished. Kirk held on to the arms of his chair. Crew and debris swirled around him. The scream of atmosphere to vacuum drown out the screams of his crew. An explosion from below deck hurled Kirk out of his chair and through the hull breach and straight towards the nearest warbird.

Kirk drew his phaser, fired and laughed. He knew it was unlikely, with all the debris swirling around, that the Romulans could even see him.. But what would they think. The legendary James Tiberius Kirk, no ship, no space suit, taking on a warbird with only a hand phaser. I wish these were Klingons, he thought, at least they would appreciate the guille.

Kirk's body was now completely surrounded by vacuum, his blood beginning to boil. He clamped his eyes shut. His last thoughts were on Spock and Uhura. Did they make it?

Back at Yorktown Base, Leonard McCoy was sipping a Mint Julip and eyeing two stunning Orion girls who had just taken seats at the other end of the bar. He ambled over, gave them his best smile and was about to pour out his southern charm. He leaned against the bar, it disappeared, in fact the entire station vanished. McCoy found himself falling through a black void.

"Some how," he thought, "Spock has got to responsible for this."

"OK, I'm done." Kirk opened his eyes. McCoy was standing by a diagnostic bed making entries to data pad.

" Did you hear me I'm through, other than an ego that stretches from here to M-31, there's nothing wrong with you."

Kirk rolled off the bed and grabbed his shirt. McCoy continued his diatribe. "Thank God I'm almost through with these last annual physicals. Go tell your first officer I'm ready for him and he better get his pointy eared Vulcan butt down here before I send a security team to get him."

"Boy, Bones," Kirk said. "Your bed side manner is a bit lacking today."

"After five years out here, your lucky I have a bed side manner."

"It hasn't been five years, it's only been four years eleven months and twenty eight..."

"Oh my god," McCoy snapped, " You're starting to sound like him. Now go.". He made a flicking motion with his fingers as if shooing away an annoying pet. "Scat."

Kirk smiled, drapped his shirt around his neck, exited sickbay and started down the corridor. As he approached the turbo lift, the doors opened and a red shirt stepped out.

"Chris!". Kirk shouted and grabbed the man by his shoulders, "Am I glad to see you."

Chris Albright blinked in surprise and said, "Well I'm glad to see you too, sir."

Kirk released him and stood for an awkward moment lost in his embarrassment. Then said.

"I've been meaning to talk to you. As you know, I'll be promoted to admiral When we reach Earth. I haven't even started putting together a staff yet. Would you consider joining me on Earth?"

"No sir, there's nothing to consider. I accept. Just tell when to report."

" Fantastic, report to me at Starfleet H.Q. as soon as your leave is done."

" Aye sir."

Kirk stepped into the turbo lift, grabbed the handle.

"Bridge.". That was odd, he thought. I've seen him almost everyday for the last five years. Why was I so glad, no, relieved to see him? The doors opened and he stepped onto the bridge and again felt embarrassed.

Still shirtless. Not a good example for an Admiral selectee. Uhura smiled and pretended not to notice.

"Sir, you have a message from Vulcan. The Vulcan Science Academy sends it's congratulations for the completion of our five year mission."

"The Vulcan's huh? Well I suppose a simple thank you should suffice. Don't you Mr. Spock?"

"Indeed." Spock said, as he relinquished the command chair.

"Oh Spock. Your annual physical. McCoy said for you to get your pointy eared Vulcan butt to sickbay. Or he'll send a security team to get you."

"Perhaps, I should seek out a more competent physician. You would think that after five years, the good doctor should know that Vulcans do not have "pointy eared butts."

Kirk smiled. Spocks sense of humor had come a long way.

"Sir." Uhura looked perplexed, " we're being hailed. It's the Guardian of Forever."

"Edith." Kirk whispered as he sank deep into his chair. "On speaker."

"You're on."

"Guardian, this is Kirk."

"Once again time has resumed its shape, all is as it should be. Your voyage is near an end. But it is the beginning of many."

"Guardian, I don't understand."

"Transmission has ceased." Uhura said.

"Spock?"

"Evidently, the Guardian knows more than it is willing or able to tell us."

Kirk looked at the view screen. The stars of the Federation were slowly streaming by. A small yellow star beckoned. Home? Kirk thought, or just a weigh station. Whatever, Kirk was certain, the adventure would continue.