Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek or any of the characters.
Story: My own characters, on the fictional ship The U.S.S. Destiny. This is my first fanfiction with original characters, so please tell me what you think.
"Lift, halt."
Commander James Sanchez turned to stare disbelievingly at Captain Duron Fenn, as the red alert blared every two seconds throughout the ship.
"Captain, what are you doing?"
The male Trill stared resolutely at his human second in command.
"I need to talk to you."
"Captain, we need to get to the bridge! Lift, resume."
"Lift, halt!"
Captain Fenn stepped over to Commander Sanchez, taking his arm, and the situation shifted to something of a more intimate nature as the man was pressed against the wall of the turbo lift.
"James, I'm not going to lie to you," he continued in a lower voice, laced with urgency and honesty. "I think we're all going to die. T-The star...its gravitational pull is too strong!" He looked broken; devastated to have sent his crew to their deaths, and James' eyes welled up to see the pain on the Captain's face.
"Fenn," he murmured softly.
The lift shook, and the Captain stumbled forward into his arms. As the tears spilled down his cheeks, he looked up into the impossibly warm brown eyes of James Sanchez, the man he had loved. The Fenn symbiont had lived five lives previous to the host of Duron. He had known he was gay before he was joined, but being given the memories of five people who had lived before him – three women and two men had made him realise that he had to seek out happiness. He had realised a little while ago how strong his feelings were for his second in command, but he wasn't sure if they would be returned.
How tragic, ironic even, that it wasn't until it seemed that the ship and the crew were doomed to be sucked into this star, that he could say how he felt.
"I love you," he said, the feeling washing over him, as he decided he had nothing to lose now.
"C-Captain?"
"I said I love you, Commander." Captain Fenn straightened up as though he were on duty in front of the whole crew. But a smile, loving, laid bare, appeared on his face. "James."
Suddenly, the lift arrived at the bridge, and the doors opened. The two men were torn away from their personal situation, and without hesitation rushed onto the bridge.
"Captain, we're trying everything, but it's not working!"
"How long until the hull-"
"Fifteen minutes...Captain."
Suddenly, everything was becoming more real. Everyone was silent at their posts. The Captain turned, slowly, to look at the view screen, which was displaying the star, swirling. Ever nearing. Their demise. James suppressed a sob.
"All right, I'd like everyone's attention please." Captain Fenn turned sharply back to face his crew, his voice full of authority. "It is my understanding that we have tried everything to free ourselves from this unusual star...As your captain, it is my duty to tell you truth. And that truth is we're not going to make it out alive. Of course, shuttles would have been my last option but the pull of the star means that this is not an option." He let out a weary sigh, and ran his fingers through thick, chocolate brown hair. "We have fifteen minutes left. I want you to go spend this time with family, and loved ones." At the words "loved ones" his eyes went briefly to James Sanchez, his ray of light in a dark and desperate situation. "You have been an excellent crew, and it has been an honour to serve with you." His voice cracked. "Dismissed."
Crew members began to drift away from their posts on the bridge, each saluting Captain Fenn on their way to the turbo lifts. Eventually, only Captain Fenn and Commander Sanchez remained, stood in the centre of the bridge, the view screen to their right, the ship still flashing red alert.
"Computer, how long until impact?"
"Nine minutes until impact."
"W-We didn't get to finish that conversation we had earlier," Captain Fenn said, as James stepped over to him, wiping a tear from his eye. He managed a smile, a shaky laugh.
"I don't think it really matters now, does it?" He gestured to the view screen and sniffed.
"It matters more now than ever," the captain replied, taking James' hand tenderly, and making eye contact.
"I love you too. I think I always have. Captain."
"Call me Duron, you idiot," the captain smiled, but before the Commander could do this, the Trill leaned in and began kissing him, slowly, and pulling him into an embrace. They kissed, and kissed, needing to escape the reality of their situation through their love for each other.
Their tears ran down, mingling with their kisses – bittersweet, and Duron pulled back, gasping, and began to cry.
James Sanchez pulled him tighter, and as he cried into his shoulder, he asked the computer – "How long until impact?"
"Three minutes to impact."
A few seconds later, the Captain pulled back from James' shoulder, wiping his eyes.
"I've got your uniform all wet, sorry," he murmured.
"You know, on Earth, some people believe that those who die together enter the afterlife together. Maybe...that will happen for us."
Another tear ran down the Captain's face, and James wiped it away without hesitation.
"That means I can't go to Hell," he smiled, the shock slowly wearing away. "It can't be Hell if you'll be there."
"I'd forgotten how much of a charmer you were," James laughed, attempting to disguise his wide smile of happiness.
The computer bleeped automatically. "Ten seconds to impact."
Panic suddenly hit James and he turned to his captain, worried he hadn't said enough and it was too late.
"I'm so glad you're here – if I had to die with anyone I always wanted it to be you," he said desperately. Captain Fenn nodded and pulled James Sanchez into a tight embrace one last time, breathing deeply his scent. That, he would be infinitely grateful for, he thought, as his eyes over spilled with tears as he shut them tightly. Dying in the arms of the one he loved more than anyone else in the entire alpha quadrant.
"Together."