Last Dance Before the Stars

Summary: When the Enterprise clashes with a strange cloud of energy and a woman forms on the bridge, at first they thought 'Here we go again…', but this time it's different; this time she's not just a human, she's not just another run in from space, and she's certainly no alien nut case with anger management issues. One thing is for certain though; she's certainly evoked plenty of emotions in the crew, particularly its chief medical officer.

"May I Give You the Love You Want, and Make the Time You Have Beautiful. We Are Now of One Mind, One Heart, One Life"

Disclaimer: No matter how obsessed I will become with star trek, I will never own it. However, I do own Alla - she is my character, and only my character!

Authors Notes: Looking for suspense? Drama? Then turn away now; I wrote this story because I really needed to write something cheesy and playful, so for all those who want to read something more realistic and 'hard core', keep searching through fan fic for one.

If I don't get decent reviews I will be taking it down, as it would be 'illogical' to keep it up. Feel free to point out any spelling/grammer/etc mistakes. And also, take note that this is my very first attempt at writing 'Star Trek fan fiction'.

Enjoy!

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Chapter One - Encounter of a Life Time

His fingers were curled together in thought. He didn't know how long he'd been staring at his monitor, but it felt like he'd been lost in his own thoughts for at least an hour, no exaggeration intended.

The ship he served aboard; USS Enterprise NCC-1701, was passing its fourth year. Soon it would be into its fifth, and when that came to an end, then what? He didn't want it to conclude, he didn't want to leave the ship and crew he'd been serving with so loyally for the last four years. If he had to choose between staying on board the enterprise and coming into contact with more life threatening situations than he could count, or going back to Earth to be alone once more for god knows how long, he'd choose the ship.

No matter how many missions they'd been on, he'd never come within a two meter distance of finding himself another partner to share his future with.

There was of course, that one time, when he caught a virus that had no cure, and had only one year to live. For a time he felt what one could call happiness; the joy you share with another, but she chose a different path, and no matter how he looked at it, so did he. So much for that relationship; he'd been willing to give her every thing he had left, but in the end, she stayed on the asteroid, and he certainly didn't die. His soul how ever, had been cut, and a scar had formed in a place he hadn't visited in a long time.

He didn't like scars, it showed what happened in the past was real, and that it wasn't just a dream, or some illusion that played with his eyes.

In ways he was like a zombie. Physically dead and mentally absent, but still craving after that one satisfactory meal that pleased any appetite no matter how hungry it was. He was beginning to die again, and he could feel it. Though this time it was not physical, it was emotional. Cause of death? Self solitary confinement for more years then he could count. Sure his ex-wife could stand for something, but she was no where to be seen. And his daughter was even more unreachable than her mother.

He'd always told the captain of how when their five year mission finally reached it's expiry date, and they were all on the brink of retiring, they'd always have their friendship to counter act the woman they'd never been able to catch, because their roles in star fleet had always been more important. But now, he was beginning to doubt his words. Five was such a small number, especially compared to the remainder of his life span.

What would really happen when it was all over? Would they always be together in the same city, the same country, or even on the same planet?

Jim was always so unpredictable and spontaneous; he wouldn't be surprised if a few years from now he was living on some paradise planet, or something more command like, such as living on a star base or some such sort.

And Spock; he'd go on living well after all of them were dead. The doctor knew deep down Spock had feelings for them that ran so deep he had to harness them with logic, or else they'd take over for good. But he also imagined Spock would cope just fine with out them. He'd live on and make new friends, explore uncharted parts of the galaxy, and perhaps even return to Vulcan and honour his fathers' long forgotten wishes.

But McCoy, the crabby doctor who always acted like he had a chicken bone stuck in his oesophagus, what would become of him?

Would he be able to make new friends and discover a life even richer than the one he was currently living? Maybe he was growing tired. Maybe he was becoming too old to start a new. Perhaps he just didn't want to.

What ever it was, his thoughts were ended abruptly as the captains voice shook from the intercom, summoning him to the bridge.

* * *

"Captain, sensors are picking up an object, approximately 20,000 miles directly ahead of us, we are within visual range" The ships chief science officer announced.

"Put it on viewer" The captain ordered as his crew did so.

"It appears to be some sort of energy field" Spock analysed the floating blue cloud like aura. "4.62 metres long, 1.2 metres across, mass, unknown captain"

"Life form?" Kirk inquired

"Unknown" Spock replied "There is electrical activity coming from within the cloud"

"We will intercept in 2.31 minutes cap" Sulu announced

They all watched as they grew closer to the aura.

"Arrival in, 5 seconds… 3, 2-"

Sulu did not get a chance to say one, as the ship swayed once and a bright light filed the bridge. The crews' eyes were blinded as the white light concentrated and fell to the floor where a form started to shape. The crew watched as the light melted away to reveal an aged woman.

"Report" Kirk asked anxiously as he moved himself to the woman's side.

"All decks remain undamaged sir" Uhura replied

"Humanoid?" Kirk stood an approached the old woman who lay silently on the floor of his bridge.

"Apparently so captain" Spock visually analysed her appearance

"McCoy to the bridge" Kirk summoned his best doctor who appeared a few moments later.

"What happened?" Bones asked as he pulled out his tricorder and began to analyse her limp body.

"We've, run into an energy cloud, Bones" Kirk replied "She appeared just as that blinding light began to cease"

"Captain, the cloud seems to have disappeared" Spock announced "Fascinating" He raised a curious eye brow "Her energy readings are that of the cloud"

"In other words she is the cloud; is that what're trying to say ?" Kirk looked over his shoulder.

"Apparently so" Spock stood tall

"This is impossible" McCoy furrowed his eyebrow

"What is it?" Kirks eyes focussed back to his doctors

"Well according to this reading, her body is completely dead Jim, not a heart beat in sight, yet her brain activity remains as active as ever"

"Is she dyeing?"

"She should be dead already! I'd like to get her to sick bay"

Kirk nodded and signalled for help to do so.

* * *

Slowly her body turned, before it jolted once and a muffled moan escaped from her lips. Dark eyes were revealed as they slowly emerged; fogged by fatigue and lack of memory.

"How do you feel?" She heard a voice, unrecognizable, yet so pleasant and familiar; strange and abrupt, but welcoming; like the first spring rain.

She opened her mouth to speak, but no words would flow; finding them dry and pealing, as if they hadn't touched water in days. She tried to move, finding her body stiff as a rock and out of control as she suddenly bounced from an unknown energy source reserved deep within her. She peered into the eyes of the man standing next to her; his mouth partially a gap, his eyes studying her alien form in fascination.

A smooth low hum escaped her lips, as she felt a tiny drop of red liquid trickle down the corner of her mouth. Her last bead of life, she would truly die if she didn't receive more in the next few minutes. Her teeth longed to bite into the sauce of existence, as they tickled with raw anticipation. Her eyes silvered with colour as she rose; a frenzy had begun, and it must be satisfied, or the end would be here.

"Where are you going?" He was quick to follow after her as she fled sickbay. But as the doors shut behind him, he realised he'd already lost sight of her. Cursing himself, he was about to announce the disappearance but was stopped when a groan came from down the corridor. He followed the scream intently, tracing its origins until he spotted her. Her mouth was attached to a crew mans arm, a single line of blood trailing down his for arm where it pooled at his hand and threatened to nerd. He was trying to push her away, but failed to do so as his strength faded.

Bones froze as she peered up and bore into his eyes; drawing him in.

Another crew man appeared from behind him, he would have intercepted if it were not for the doctors voice. "Wait!" McCoy raised a hand "Let him go" He requested of her, his other hand sneaking to lay on the alarm panel beside him, but found he did not need to use it as she instantly obeyed and dropped the mans dry limb, the silver lake in her eyes returning back to their dark green jade and royal blue. He hurried forwards and analysed the fallen crewman.

'What the hell?' He questioned the readings on his tricorder 'She drained over half his total blood'

"He needs to get to sick bay" He quickly folded his tricorder "Help me get him there" He picked up the uninjured arm as the other was still bleeding rather heavily. The other crewman helped to carry the poor man back to the doctors' lair, while his attacker followed them at a distance.

* * *

When his life signs were back to normal readings, and Leonard had bandaged his bitten arm, he dismissed him with an order to get rest, while he attended to the girl who stood in the corner of the room.

"What's you're name?" He asked as politely as he could muster. She was obviously uncertain of her surroundings, as she stayed strictly to the corner of the room. He also came to the conclusion that her lunge for his fellow crew man was not of her will, as the silver in her eyes only appeared during the time she acted hostile.

"Alla" She replied after a pause "What's yours?"

"McCoy, Leonard McCoy" He drew closer to her, his tricorder making an appearance "Now do you care to tell me what happened back there?"

"I'm sorry" She apologized "I was hungry; I can't control myself once it begins"

"We could have provided you with food"

"Vegetables and bread aren't enough; I need blood to refill my veins because my body doesn't produce its' own"

"So you drink others?"

She nodded

"There was no need to attack a stranger" Bones folded his arms, satisfied with his readings "We could have provided you with enough blood to sustain you"

"Really?" Her eyes began to become lined with silver once more, though not to the degree before "May I request some now? I didn't drink enough before, and I can feel the frenzy coming back"

"Frenzy?" He raised and eye brow

She nodded once more "The hunger over takes us, we loose control of our body, until we get what we need."

Figuring she was telling the truth, and wanting to avoid a repeat of the past, he did as she requested. "I'll be right back" He announced as he left the room. "Jim" He called up his captain.

"What is it Bones?" Came Jims' reply from the bridge "Is the woman alright?"

"She fine Jim, more than fine" He peered back to his tricorder "All her life signs are at a normal level, as far as I can tell there's nothing wrong with her but…"

"But…"

He paused "You might want to come down here Jim"

"I'm on my way, Kirk out."

When he turned around, he was taken back when her face suddenly peered before his eyes.

"You have a wonderful voice" She stared at him "The most pleasant I've ever heard"

"Thanks" He mumbled, passing her and walking to a different section of sickbay. She stayed close behind him, something he noticed and grew curious about. He stood by a small machine and picked up the tubing that extended from it. It was the same machine he'd used to heal the crewman she attacked earlier. He removed the top of the tubing and passed it to her "Here, why don't you take a seat"

"Ok" She agreed as she sat at the edge of the bed. He pressed the tubing to her lips and turned on the machine. It beeped once and suddenly the tube was filled with red liquid. Her eyes drifted to an almost dreamily state as they shone an even brighter shade of silver. He didn't get a chance to observe them further as the fluttered to a close. The crinkled skin of her hands began to melt away as they smoothed out and filled with life. Her curly grey hairs shone with blond and red until they filled with such a deep brown they looked almost black.

Raising an eyebrow he pulled back out his tricorder, watching as the estimate of her age decreased in a matter of seconds from 60 to 40, to 35 to 22.

"Just push this button here when you're done" He said awkwardly; astounded by what he'd just witnessed.

She gave a nod and he left the room, though this time she didn't follow, as one, her eyes were closed, and two, the expression on her face was far too off in some distant paradise to notice his disappearance.

Though as soon as she did notice she was soon back at his side. He raised an eyebrow as she curled an arm around his bicep and lured in a little closer as he once more scanned her.

When the captain arrived, as well as his first officer, he expected to be greeted with that same old woman he saw on the bridge, but instead was met with a young girl whose essence had been rehydrated into a perfect body of youth and a body who stuck close by his chief medical officers' side. Perhaps even a little too close for the time they'd known each other.

"Bones, what happened?" Kirk asked noticing the little distance between them "I heard some one was attacked"

"Yes but, it's all right now" The doctor replied as Jims eyes didn't break contact with the girls. "She didn't mean too, it was instinct"

"I see…" Kirk crossed his arms "Instinct huh; where do you come from?" He asked

She replied "Earth"

"But Earth is millions of light years away"

"Then I must have been travelling for a long time" She said more to herself then any one else. "Where am I?"

"You're on board the star ship enterprise, I'm captain Kirk, this is my first officer Mr. Spock, and chief medical officer "

"Yes, I know McCoy" She smile "He was very… helpful to me"

This time it was Kirk and Bones that raised their eyebrows.

"Well, I'm glad to see that you're all right" Kirk said after an awkward moment of silence "If you feel up to it, I have a few more questions for you; details I'd like to know"

"Captain," She grabbed his attention "If you don't mind, I want to stay here with "

"Of course" He gestured to bones to use his office who soon walked there; the woman still attached to his arm.

"She seems to have taken a liking to him Captain" Spock stated

"Apparently so" He agreed "Did you manage to find any thing else about her Spock?"

"Negative captain, test results come up the same each time"

"I see. Well, we're not going to learn any more from just standing here then" He moved to the office as did Spock.

Leonard and the girl were sitting next to his desk, waiting for them.

"You can start with your name" Kirk said

"It's Alla, Al for short" She replied

"And you say you came from Earth?" Kirk pressed her.

She nodded "I was born on Earth. My older brother, he… he decided it was time to leave. So we did."

"So you flew out to space and some how turned into a cloud of electrical energy…"

"Yes. We lived on Earth for a long time and my brother was some what of a scientist. He created a syrem that once in space, our bodies would transform into energy, and when an energy similar to ours approached, we would reform and go back to being our normal selves."

"Fascinating" Spock commented "And where is this older brother you speak of?"

"Is he not here?" Her eyes tore between the three of them

Kirk shook his head "So far as we know, you're the only one who emerged from that cloud"

"I see" Her eyes dropped low, sadness over whelming her at the possibility that Joseph could be dead "Captain, what year is it?"

"2270" He replied, unsure if he should have.

"2270" She echoed him, her face dropping to the palms of her hands "I've been asleep… for over 250 years… no wonder you people accept me so well"

"I do not understand" Spock commented "If you left Earth at the beginning of the 21st century, how is it that you accept this ship so well"

She raised her eyes "My brother he, he had the rarest gift of foresight. One night he was flying through the clouds when he saw a strange object flying through space. He saw a glimpse of the people there, and what it was like on board. When he told me, I didn't believe him at first. Humans, in space? Impossible. At that time the horse and carriage had only just been invented. But now, sitting here, I have no doubt that this is a ship, just like the one he saw, all those years ago."

"May I inquire, as to when you were born?" Kirk asked

"I actually don't know" She laughed "I don't remember much from before the time my brother found me. But one of my first memories was seeing the new century, in the year 1700, when Joseph found me."

"That long ago" Kirks' lips were a gape in astonishment, as were Bones'. "Well, I see no reason for you to stay here; I shall have quarters assigned to you"

"Captain, if you don't mind, I would like to stay here; with McCoy"

He looked to Bones who gave him a tiny nod as his answer.

"Alright" Kirk agreed some what "I shall, return to the bridge then" He did so, and took with him.

"I'm sure you've realised what I am by now" She said as she looked innocently up at McCoys gaze.

"Yes, but, I never really believed they existed up until now. Mind you, space is full of the unknown; I should have expected something like this to happen, eventually."

"You're not like the others McCoy" She touched his face with her finger "You're not afraid"

"Well I know you're not hungry" He joked. She laughed in return, taking in his smile. "You're kind, and caring. You remind me of my brother"

They sat for a few minutes, just staring at each other. There was something about her that drew him in, and there was something about him that drew her in.

"My shift is almost over" He broke the silence "Would you like to go back to my quarters and try some 'futuristic' food?" She was so intriguing.

"I would love to" She agreed in delight.

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