"Hey Bones!"
Leonard screamed at the sight of Jim, a man who he had pronounced dead three days ago, and fainted. He was so alive standing by the side of the Commander who hadn't come out his quarters in three days. WHAT THE HELL? JIM IS RIGHT THERE. NO. HE CAN'T. HE-OH MY GOD. WE JETTED HIM OUT THREE DAYS AGO! WHAT KIND OF WORLD AM I LIVING IN? McCoy's scream was a frightened and horrified doctor. But where the hell did he come from? He had those blue eyes but he wasn't in uniform nor did he have a wedding ring.
Leonard was in his chair, staring long and hard at the man who he had personally saw die in the Vulcan's arms, and there wasn't something right about this. None at all. He listened to the story the captain played out. How Spock ditched him and wanted to become the most Vulcananst Vulcan there ever was. McCoy could feel himself trembling. Soaking in this story was rather difficult and troublesome, unbelievable,shocking, and twisting. He felt along his face going through the information this . . . Other Jim had informed him. After awhile he stood up.
"Just to be sure you are who you say you are, I need a DNA test, and proof that you are Jim." Leonard searched the drawer for a hypospray.
"Ask me anything!" Jim said. "I can answer all your questions."
McCoy looked over toward Jim.
"When Spock died, did he put his Katra in my skull?" Leonard asked.
Jim frowned.
"No, that never happened." Jim said.
Spock raised an eyebrow.
"Doctor McCoy? That never happened." Spock said.
McCoy turned his head away then pulled out the drawer.
"And what was the first thin' I did when we met?" Leonard asked.
"You puked on my boots." Jim said.
"And why do you call me 'Bones'?" Leonard said.
"Because all you had were your bones from the divorce and it fit you like a glove." Jim said.
Leonard took out a hypospray.
"How long were we roommates?" Leonard said.
"Three years." Jim said.
"What about the time we had to generate heat-" Leonard started to say.
"Oh Bones, that never happened!" Jim said.
"Indeed." Spock said.
"How did you know what I was goin' to say?"Leonard asked.
"You used that lie to explain why you had me strip naked so you could check for a parasite." Jim said, as McCoy stuck the hypospray into Jim's forearm (while his sleeves were pulled up). Jim was actually smirking at that. "I am still the same Jim." McCoy looked over toward Spock who nodded in his direction then back over toward Jim. "Heart and all."
"You do realize you must get married for the first time SINCE YOU ARE CLEARLY NOT MARRIED!" McCoy said, taking the hypospray out.
"Ow, is that all you are pissed off about?" Jim said, rubbing the side of his ear.
"The doctor is right," Spock said. "We can pass you off as a clone and it would mean you need a wedding ring. Including a engagement ring."
"Too bad we left it in space three days ago." Leonard said.
"Doctor, you scanned his rings." Spock said.
"Yes, I did-" Leonard stopped. "Why you sneaky bastard. You made a replica for Jim's shrine, didn't you?"
"Affirmative." Spock said.
"You had a shrine of me?" Jim said. "Aww, that is so. . . Sweet."
There was a fondness in Jim's eyes as he looked over in the direction of Spock all lovey dovey. Spock shared the same expression looking into the eyes of someone he obviously trusted and was still loyal to, no matter which version, that was clear. They were radiating an atmosphere was hard to describe. Bliss, total bliss. So happy. Their fingers were touching together on the biobed. Their eyes were dilated and they were so content with one another.
They were in a quarantined bio-quarters. They hadn't informed Winona of her son's death nor had Star Fleet been. The crew was grieving but it seemed they didn't have to grieve anymore. This was going to be difficult for those who knew Jim the best. So unusual but then again whatever happened on the Enterprise was far from normal. Everyone else would be so stunned to see a dead man walking but otherwise happy to see him again. Scotty would faint. Uhura would gasp. Sulu and Chekov would stare. Chapel would be at a loss for words.
"So. . . where did you come through? The big doughnut guy?" Leonard asked.
"Yes, in fact I did," Jim said. "If it convinces you that I am who I say I am."
"Jim, you still have a report to file regarding the planet Easter Bound," Leonard said. "And everyone thinks you are dead. Good luck with that while I do some lab work. And Jim, don't scare me like that again!"
Jim beamed.
"Right, Bones." Jim said.
McCoy went on Shore leave, Jim claimed, leaving M'Benga in Charge.
"I did expect that." Spock Prime had said, in their brief but short conversation.
"Expect another Jim to come?" McCoy was shocked.
"Jim is a predictable man." Spock Prime said.
"Yours was! Mine wasn't." Leonard said.
"Did he immediately trip over a chair leg after arriving?" Spock Prime asked.
McCoy paused staring at the Vulcan on the other screen in shock and stun.
"Yes . . . How did you know that?" Leonard said.
"I rest my case." The much older Vulcan said.
Leonard rested the shuttle near the Guardian of Forever. There were patches of grass growing along the circular object. Leonard recalled how he had met this entity seven years ago. If what Jim had explained then there might be a McCoy and Spock without their Jim. He had made his choice to stay here forever. Now, Leonard just wanted to see how their lives were without him. Leonard was already convinced that he was talking to a Jim. He just wanted the DNA test to be one hundred percent sure. The crew had their predictable reactions followed by questions and a flash of a smile from the young captain. He was going to embark on his second five year mission with Spock.
McCoy couldn't help but feel that something totally wrong was just done by jumping universes.
"I am the Guardian of Forever," The Guardian said. "I am everywhere, I see everything, and I can take you to wherever you wish."
"I wish to see the universe where the Jim who came into my universe," Leonard said. "I wish to see. . . the lives of Leonard McCoy and Captain Spock after Jim Kirk's departure."
"Spock?" McCoy came into the quarters to see everything in a wreck.
It was like someone came in and made a mess.
"Spock!" McCoy ran down the hall.
McCoy made the door open to the Vulcan's bedroom where he could see the table was flipped over, the table top was turned over, picture frames were shattered into pieces, and chairs were wrecked. In the corner of the room was a Vulcan rocking himself back and forth crying with a chocolate bar in his left hand. The doctor looked into the eyes of the Vulcan and he knew all that he needed to know. Jim wasn't coming back. The doctor came into the room then he put one hand one the Vulcan's shoulder lowering himself down to his level
"What happened this time, Mr Spock?" McCoy asked, in a low voice.
"I . . . I . . ." McCoy drifted the chocolate bar out of the Vulcan's hand and the Vulcan's cheeks were covered in chocolate. He wasn't in a good shape. "I . . . Made a mistake."
McCoy was patient, remarkably, calm, in front of the Vulcan.
"Spock, he is not comin' back, is he?" McCoy asked.
Spock nodded, his face green, and grief and fury and rage and all of the emotions of a stupid mistake were present on his face.
"Spock, take a shower," McCoy said. "And pick yourself up, darlin'." He guided the Vulcan up on his two feet and guided him out of the room. "Jim wouldn't want you to ruin yourself."
After what he had done to Jim? He was actually helping the Vulcan rather than letting him grieve the way a Vulcan should. McCoy tossed the chocolate bar into the trash can then reprogrammed the replicator to not replicate chocolate for two weeks while on the way to Earth for a refit. The doctor waited until the Vulcan was out, this time, in gold. His eyes were no longer showing the tiniest of all emotion. It puzzled Leonard as to why the good doctor of that universe was doing that. He would let him suffer rather than pick himself up. But there was a sudden change of heart here in his counterpart. The Vulcan lowered his head down toward the floor with a heavy feeling on his shoulders.
"I am sorry," Spock lowered his head. "I . . . made him run away."
Spock then looked up toward McCoy.
"You sure as hell pissed me off, you green blooded hobgoblin, breakin' him but you didn't make him run away," McCoy said. "You have to realize that he just wanted someone to love him. YOU! Of all people! Some days I regret pushin' you two together because I knew it would end out like this! It is my fault, too, Spock!"
"You never pushed us together." Spock said.
"I pushed Jim," McCoy said. "Now, are we goin' to clean up your mess or not?"
"Doctor McCoy, after my recent mistake, I thought you would request a transfer." Spock said.
"Spock, lon' as you are around, my job is not over." McCoy said.
"I am not a duckling." Spock said.
McCoy stared at the Vulcan, confused, with a raised eyebrow.
"Well, whatever makes you think that?" McCoy said.
"The way you look at me." Spock replied.
"I look at ducks differently, captain." McCoy said.
"But not all ducks do you stare at like you intend to help." Spock said.
"I am doctor, not a bystander." McCoy said.
"I shall endeavor myself to not be the victim in the bystanding process." Spock said.
"Oh, did you know we're assigned to the USS Yorktown?" McCoy asked, arms folded.
Spock raised his eyebrows.
"That is. . . fascinating." Spock said.
"How so?" McCoy asked.
"The Enterprise was originally to be named the Yorktown." Spock said.
"Interestin'." McCoy said.
Spock was different after Jim had left. It was noticeable. He put both legs into his heritage not only in the Vulcan door as he had done before and he did not necessarily do what was logical. When McCoy saw the older Vulcan come down the hall with his hands behind his back and the lights were barely lit. When all hope was seemingly lost, Spock would think otherwise and insist that the impossible can be possible. His team bound together: Commander Scotty head of engineering, Commander John Tree first officer (then later Elizabeth Meadow replaced him), Lieutenant Austen the navigator,Commander Leonard McCoy,Commander John Johnson the communications officer, Lieutenant Edward Howden the science officer, and Lieutenant Commander Angela Bush (and Jessica Redford) the helmsmen.
And last of all Spock at the lead.
Together, they made a very unique family that was extended.
McCoy kept in contact with Uhura,Sulu, and Pavel.
"He is undergoing. . . Pon Farr." Spock Prime revealed.
McCoy raised an eyebrow.
"What is that?" McCoy asked.
"The biological clock of a Vulcan when they are in sexual heat. It happens every seven years. He will die if he does not mate." Spock Prime said.
"Jim is gone." McCoy said.
"Then he will die." Spock Prime said.
McCoy frowned.
"Not on my watch." McCoy said,
The elder Vulcan raised an eyebrow.
"You are willing to participate in it for his life?" Spock Prime asked.
"It is nothin' new, Ambassador." McCoy said.
"Your counterpart thought I had in fact 'defeated' my urge." Spock Prime said.
"And you didn't." McCoy said,
"Affirmative." Spock Prime said.
"But you had Jim." McCoy said.
"That I did." Spock Prime said.
"You are still alive because of him. You had him for twenty some years, you are one lucky bastard, ya hear?" McCoy said.
A fond smile grew on the Vulcan's face.
"That is exactly Leonard told me after Jim vanished saving the Enterprise B." Spock Prime said.
"Spock, what DO YOU MEAN WE ARE BONDED?" McCoy's voice had raised.
"It was an accident." Spock said.
"DURING SEX, YOU BONDED US?" McCoy added.
"My fault. I thought you were. . ." The Vulcan had a guilty look about his face. "We will get this fixed-Doctor, why are you thinking of ripping me to pieces?"
McCoy frowned as the ears on Spock's head turned green.
"That." McCoy said.
"Doctor, that is greatly inappropriate." Spock said.
A smile grew on the doctor's face.
"Now I am thinkin' of keepin' it." McCoy said.
"I will request emergency shore leave on New Vulcan. This is not to be. You are not supposed to be mine." Spock said.
McCoy frowned.
"Captain,stop thinkin' such dirty thoughts about my ass!" McCoy said.
"My apologies. It is the bond's doing." Spock said.
McCoy folded his arms.
"Uh huh." McCoy said.
Spock's cheeks turned green as he left the empty med bay with hands behind his back.
"Doctor, stop thinking of last night." Spock said.
"You too, darlin'!" McCoy replied, jokingly.
"Home sweet home!" McCoy said, throwing his arms out once he exited the shuttle bay.
Scotty sniffed the air.
"Smells like someone dumped watermelon all over the place," Scotty said. "Disgustin'."
"Rotten watermelon," McCoy pinched his nose. "Spock, cover your nose."
"Negative, there is no smell," Spock said, walking past them. "I will be on the bridge."
Scotty looked in the direction of McCoy, bewildered, then went after the Vulcan.
"Mr Spock!" Scotty shouted. "The turbo lift is THIS way!"
"Captain Spock, your CMO is guilty of attempting to resuscitate our leader Fahl," Came the Galian judge. "Is there anything you wish to say?"
Spock nodded.
"Affirmative," Spock said. "As you are not in the united federation of planets, I believe this trial is unjustified. He was only doing his job." He flipped his communicator out. "And he was trying to save the human from a accidental drowning. I do not understand your argument that a doctor should not attempt to save a life."
"We have rules for this!" The Galian Judge bellowed.
The Galian Judge had a big chin that was huge and sharp with gills alongside, his skin was blue and green, his eyes were very human and he had two structures on his head that resembled ones seen typically on a giraffe. The judge had now stood up glaring at the captain's direction. McCoy was standing right beside him with electrical energy themed cuffs around his wrists. He was damn scared, straight. There was a human first officer right beside the doctor with long blonde hair and green eyes. Her name was Elizabeth Meadow. McCoy's mouth was covered by a mouth clamp.
"This is unfair long as you have my friend unable to speak for himself," Spock said. "He is my client and my chief medical officer second."
"You are tampered!" The Galian judge shouted.
"Negative, it is you and your culture that is tampered. This law has been used to murder people like you and your leader who is recovering swiftly on our ship and will be beamed down in exactly five seconds," Spock said. "If you do not release my Chief Medical Officer then I will come to a drastic decision," He stared at the judge. "I do not like making these decisions. Beaming down a figure like that in the middle of a courtroom can ruin your reputation. Now."
In a golden flash appeared the leader, fuming, enraged.
"This is not what I wanted my system to prosecute the innocent!" Fahl said.
Armed guards materialized around them.
"Mr Scott, three to beam up." Spock and Meadow were holding onto the doctor's shoulders then they were being materialized.
Shortly afterwards fire shots landed on the wall.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU LOST THE VULCAN? HE HAS BEEN BITTEN BY ONE OF THOSE WEREWOLF CREATURES AND HE WILL TURN INTO ONE IN THE NEXT TWENTY-FOUR HOURS! HE NEEDS TO BE QUARANTINED, MEADOW, NOT LET OUT INTO THE WILD!" McCoy shouted. "SPOCK WOULD NOT HAVE WANTED TO BE LET GO IN THE MIDDLE OF HIS TRANSFORMATION RIGHT INTO A PLANET COVERED BY FORESTS!"
"I saw it in his eyes, doctor."
McCoy took her by the shoulders, pretty pissed off.
"There is one thing you don't know about Vulcans," McCoy said. "Basing your deductions off looks in their eye is very stupid. Spock is not Spock right now. And every day he is pain, not physical, but emotional right in the heart. You see, fourteen years ago, Jim left on his own accord after the Vulcan dumped him and went into another universe."
Meadow was confused, her eyebrows raised, and a look of shock in her eyes.
"But I heard he died." Meadow said, generally confused and shocked at once.
McCoy had a grim look on his face.
"The hell he is not." McCoy said.
"I am confused, but-" Meadow started but is cut off by the doctor.
"You only saw emotional pain in his wolf like eyes,Commander. I have been there for him before you enrolled into Star Fleet. Now you are goin' to help me find a cure for the damn Vulcan and we will forget about this. Hopefully Spock does not remember what the hell you did."
"BONES!" Spock shouted.
McCoy looked up from the injured Lieutenant Commander Jackson Wheeler toward the explosion headed his way and his face turned pale. He then did what was instinctive and rather expected, he used himself as a shield as Spock was held back by Meadow into a nearby building with the doors shutting. Spock watched the flames rush past the window that had been thermally protected by the technology on this planet. There were two others preventing him from going outside by the arms.
The heat subsided and the flames retreated.
Spock ran out of the house.
McCoy was on his side severely covered in burns.
Wheeler was on the ground, unharmed.
"Leonard. . ." Spock came to the side of the human at first his eyes were watery then he forced them back and took out his communicator. "Spock to Mr Scott," He came to the side of the injured human. "Prepare for a emergency beam up for Doctor McCoy and Lieutenant Commander Jackson Wheeler into med bay, immediately."
"Preparin' for beam up." Scotty said.
"Spock . . ." McCoy took the hand of the Vulcan. "Just let go."
"Negative, you are capable of being repaired."
"Not this time."
"Do not speak that way. You will be fine."
"Sometimes. . . we gotta let go. Even if it hurts us. I think I understand why the Gaurdian allowed him to go." Spock could feel his vision getting blurry. "Sometimes thin's have to end in order for thin's to start." Spock could feel McCoy's skin was feeling like sand. It was strange noting that his friend was in fact becoming sand-like before his eyes. "Spock . . . Don't indulge yourself into chocolate when I am gone."
And then like that McCoy was gone blown into dust with a smile.
"Captain, the transporters are malfunctionin', I can't beam anyone up for at least another four hours." Scotty replied, but it sounded a bit like a exaggeration to the Vulcan.
Spock lowered his head trembling, as Meadow came out with another security officer by her side. A tear came down the Vulcan's cheek as his hands rolled up into a fist. Rage circulated through his body. He looked up to see the starship that had begun this entire chirade hidden among the clouds appearing to be menacing. The tears stopped rolling. Every person Spock knew in his life affected him in numerous ways but no one like McCoy had done so more deeply.
Spock picked up the Communicator knowing the augment was tapping in.
"KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!" Spock shouted into it. "I WILL END YOU."
"I can vibrate their molecules and bring them back into their carbon conditions," Scotty explained with Freenser nodding with it. "It will take at least an hour on the planet usin' their transporters." The Vulcan was in the transporter room with Meadow by his side being patient. "Permission tae attempt undoin' what Khan did, captain?"
The view turned toward Spock.
"Permission granted." Spock said.
There was a relief look on his face, a sudden micro-expression, but none-the-less that vengeful look micro-expression was still there.
"Freenser, one tae beam down!"
"How many people did you lose?"
"Three."
"And you have to understand my loss. My wife, dying, underground. ALIVE! Being smothered to death by rocks because of your foolish decision to bring us to a planet that was more hostile than Australia." This was a man more different than the Khan that Leonard knew. There was a noticeable difference. Khan appeared to be a person of color. "I lost one. The one person I cared about the most."
Spock glared at the augment's direction with his fingers clutched around the arm rest.
"So did I."
"Yours left you."
"Negative."
"But he did."
Spock stood up.
"You have committed murder on the man I care about the most, my colleague, my katra brother, my friend," Spock said. "You know a word that seemingly fits this?"
"How can I forget?" Khan replied. "T'hy'la."
"In a platonic context," Spock said. "From what you have done . . . I will make sure you pay for it, dearly. We are not in federation space." He stepped forward. "Lay it to waste."
"Aye aye, captain." Jessica Redford said.
Spock sat down into the captain's chair.
"Have a long and painful death," Spock said. "Spock out."
The screen turned into space where the ship was right across from them. Phaser blasts and torpedoes struck the starship one after another. They had been protecting the genesis project set inside the science lab that was confiscated from Carol Marcus and David Kirk. Both of whom were on the Enterprise. David Kirk was on the bridge watching this unfold. He had bright blue eyes and the resemblance with his father was uncanny. The man came to the side of the chair.
"Did my father. . ." David said. "Did he . . . Did you really break his heart?"
After avoiding David's face for two hours and thirty-two minutes, Spock turned his head in the direction of David.
"Affirmative," Spock said. "Your father was a great human."
David stood there soaking in what Spock had just said with a look of loss on his face with a parent he had never known.
"A escape pod has ejected from The Reliant." Ensign Richard Austen said.
"Captain," Meadow said. "I advise against going after Khan."
Spock stood up.
"Advise noted," Spock said. "Meadow, you have the conn, Mr Kirk, do not follow me."
"Yes, sir." David said.
The Vulcan went into the turbo lift.
"Shuttle bay." Spock said.
The doors closed on the Vulcan as his hand balled up into a fist and a dark look appeared on his face.
"SPOCK, STOP!" The doctor tore the Vulcan off the bloody augment. "HE IS DEAD!"
Spock's fists were coated in blood.
Spock turned in the direction of the doctor taking him by the shoulders.
"Leonard!"
There was a surprised look on the doctor's face at Spock's reaction. Spock had this reaction once, many years ago, after fighting with Jim in a gladiator like brawl and McCoy managed to give the captain a sedative that made him appear dead in all aspects. Spock had believed he was the one who had killed the captain himself for exactly thirteen minutes and forty-two seconds. It was almost as though Spock had disregarded his Vulcan heritage and let out emotion. Spock's voice betrayed the Vulcan, whose face was etched in a monotone expression, and his voice was that of joy and happiness.
"You don't need to mutilate Khan's body anymore." McCoy said, with a smile.
Spock let go of the doctor's shoulders.
"My apologies for the outburst," Spock apologized, his hands went directly behind his back. "That was unnecessary."
"Ambassador."
"Hello, Doctor McCoy. I heard you rejected the captain promotion."
"I don't need a promotion."
"Why is it that?"
"Because I am worried about him."
"I suspect his quarters are still programmed not to allow chocolate?"
"Yes."
"He will be fine, Doctor McCoy."
"I never told you, or anyone for that matter. . . But a couple years ago we accidentally bonded and then got unbonded."
The older Vulcan raised an eyebrow.
"An accidental bonding is quite rare."
"But the funny thin' is," McCoy said. "I can feel what he is thinkin', oddly, even without the bond." The doctor shuddered. "A mind of logic and emotion from a Vulcan. . . That mind is a crazy place to be in." The doctor took a sip of sweet tea. "We faced Khan, again, and he died this time by your younger self's hand."
"Hm."
"And apparently I died. I don't remember dyin'."
Spock Prime stared at the counterpart in disbelief.
"How?"
"Somethin' capable of burnin' and turning organisms into sand."
"That is disturbing."
"It is probably a good thin' I don't remember it. Probably was a painful one."
"Do you remember anything before dying?"
The doctor shrugged.
"Nah, I don't."
"Did you feel his thoughts before you died?"
The doctor paused.
"No."
"After?"
"Yes."
"You are experiencing a faded bond. Theoretically you had a friendship or family bond which is the most likely kind of bond between you and my counterpart. A faded bonded is a bond that has faded due to death. A faded bond is capable of becoming again after coming back from the dead. It does not harm the two participants but it could become a marriage bond at any time due to how close the two are." The Vulcan watched the doctor's eyebrow go up. "As it was for the case of Jim and I."
"Fascinatin'."
"You are more Vulcan than you believe. For example, you were drinking Vulcan tea."
McCoy turned around and spat out what he had drank then turned in the direction of the ambassador.
"Spock!"
Spock Prime took a sip of the sweet tea that was supposed to be for McCoy.
"Sweet Tea is a thin' I have acquired from your counterpart," Spock Prime said. "It is rather a good thin'. Been told I can do a Georgian drawl."
"OH MY GOD? HOW? WAIT, DON'T TELL ME, YOU DIED AND PUT YOURSELF INTO MY COUNTERPART!"
"Affirmative."
"Fuck me."
Spock Prime raised an eyebrow.
"I am in no interest of fucking you, Doctor McCoy."
McCoy sighed.
"Now I have to be watchin' the captain to be sure he doesn't die while around me!"
Spock Prime had a low laugh, shaking his head lowering the Vulcan tea cup down.
"A watchful eye is always a good thing as I have been told."
"3. . ." Meadow was being beamed up. "2. . ." Spock turned in the direction of McCoy who seemed to be terrified. "1."
Spock acted as a shield for the doctor as the firesome explosion sending them both down to the floor. The blaze went over the Vulcan's body knocking down the ones closer to the bomb. Spock closed his eyes feeling the pain digging into his back. His flesh being burned at and peeling away. It felt like his blood was burning up. The doctor had curled up doing a protective position on the floor. Spock went through his life opening his eyes looking at his life like a film.
Spock put one hand on the side of the doctor's head.
"Remember." Spock said.
"Look, we must repair his body."
"But there is no way we can when it is unoperable."
"Skin graftin'."
"I am sorry, but he is dead."
"Spock is not dead. HE IS IN MY DAMN SKULL!"
"Doctor, please calm down."
"'I WILL CALM DOWN WHEN SOMEONE BELIEVES ME THAT WE NEED TO GET HIS BODY PATCHED UP!"
"There is no way we can. His skin is not growing because his heart is not beating, his neurons have vanished, and he is not breathing."
"DAMN IT SPOCK! WHY DID YOU HAVE TO DO THIS TO ME?"
"Doctor McCoy, come back, your vitals are off the charts!"
"Clonin'?" McCoy sounded unsure.
The specialist nodded.
"That is what we do." The specialist said.
McCoy looked down toward the box in his arms then back to the specalist. Inside the box was all that was left of the Vulcan he knew. He felt heavy with remorse, regret, and guilt. The rest of Spock's remains were jetted out into space. Inside this box was Spock's hand preserved and still had some skin left inside it. He had heard of this place two decades ago during their adventures. Back then it was years away. Now it was only days away.
"Doctor, there is no way you could have prevented my death." Spock replied in his mind clear as day.
McCoy looked toward the specialist.
"How long would it take to clone Spock?" McCoy asked.
"Give it a year or two, maybe more." The specialist said.
McCoy was trembling handing the box to the specialist.
"Please . . . Brin' him back." McCoy said.
"But if we do. He won't be the same Vulcan you knew." The specialist said.
McCoy lowered his head briefly closing his eyes then looked back toward the specialist.
"Negative, I will be." A different voice came out of McCoy's mouth.
The specialist stared at McCoy with a slack jaw.
"Mr McCoy?" The specialist asked.
"Mr Spock is speaking." Spock replied.
"We will do our best." The specialist said.
"Your efforts will be noted," McCoy lowered his head then raised it up. "I am willin' to risk that."
"Hey Doctor, how are you?"
"Sufficient."
"How does it feel to be both medic and captain?"
"It feels. . . really strange."
"Have you told Sarek what happened?"
"Affirmative. It turns out he was not even the least surprised."
McCoy closed his eyes, feeling a old memory from Spock coming to. Writing a letter that Jim would later read. Damn Vulcan, torturing himself with this memory day after day. It was frankly getting annoying for the doctor. It felt like he had a fifty ton weight on his shoulders. He had let go of that day. One of these days he had to confront the Vulcan regarding it. He had a sigh then reopened his eyes to see a startled Scotty.
"What is it, Scotty?" McCoy asked.
"I just. . ." Scotty said. "Did nae realize you could mimic Mister Spock's voice."
"Captain!" Meadow came into the room. "Koloth's ship is in range and he is prepared to take over a abandoned starship."
Jim's greatest foil.
"That Klingon," McCoy said. "I can't believe he is still around all this time. I will be right there, Meadow."
Meadow nodded then departed the room.
"Funny how she has been stickin' around longer than the other first officers." Scotty said.
"I hope she sticks around long enough to become a captain." McCoy said.
"Leonard, I apologize for using your mind like that. I did not expect you to clone me."
"You are back, Mr Spock, and that is all that matters to me."
Beat.
"That is touching to hear." Spock said.
"Nice to know you still have emotions." McCoy said.
Beat.
"Vulcans do not feel." Spock said.
"The hell you do. I had you in my skull for a year!" McCoy said,
"Most unfortunate. I intended to be taken to the second great hall of thoughts." Spock said. "May I return to my duties?"
"Yes," McCoy said. "And you better think fast on how to explain your disappearance in your next report."
"I will do so." Spock said.
Spock exited sick bay.
"I have your first officer." Zarak, the Romulan captain, said on the view screen.
Spock stood up from his chair.
"Return her." Spock said.
"To you? In pieces. We found her sneaking aboard our starship." Zarak said.
"She is not supposed to be there," Spock said. "We will properly take care of the disobedience-"
"No," Zarak said. "We will take care of the disobedience."
McCoy came onto the bridge.
"That is unwise." Spock said.
"Meadow got out of sick bay while I was out." McCoy said.
"Bring her." Zarak said, nodding toward someone off screen.
McCoy's face turned pale.
"No." McCoy said.
Austen and Bush looked up toward the screen. John Johnson turned away from his station with one hand on his ear. Science officer Howden was looking toward the screen too. There was Scotty, too, at his station with widened eyes seeing Meadow come on screen being brought down to her knees with a bruise on the side of her face. She had ridges along her nose indicating that she was not human. Spock stepped forward.
"This is a Bajorean." Zarak said. "Tell them what you told me."
"I was sent to ensure Star Fleet did not get a alliance with the Klingons, the Enterprise was the likely culprit and to ensure the continued alliance between the Klingons and Romulans . . . I had to kill the Klingons you put in my charge to ensure their efforts would be in vain." Spock's eyebrows hunched together. McCoy came to the Vulcan's side. "I am sorry."
"Commander Meadow. . ." McCoy said. "We trusted you."
A tear came down Meadow's cheek.
"But the rest?" Meadow said. "Thank you. For everything. For being my family."
Spock saw the disruptor aimed at the back of Meadow's head.
"Live long and prosper." Spock said, doing the Vulcan salute.
And then there was a disruptor blast. There was a scream from inside the bridge followed by the fall of Meadow's body to the floor.
"Anything else?" Zarak asked.
"Mrs Bush," Spock said. "Fire when you have the inclination. Spock out."
They watched the Romulan starship, that had been made of pieces of various bird-of-prey, be torn into pieces and explode sending the scrapmetal flying. Some of the scrap metal landed on the hull of the Enterprise A. The flames engulfed what was left of the bird-of-prey. McCoy took Spock's hand as the Vulcan lowered his head feeling both rage and betrayal and sadness.
Captain's log: We have lost Elizabeth Meadow in the line of duty. Full report will be written and Star Fleet will be notified of her final moments. End Log.
"We must not allow the Enterprise A to be overtaken by Klingons." Spock said.
Beat.
"Damn it, Spock, that is what Jim would have done. This isn't logical. There is another way to stop them!" McCoy said.
"Alice Neferit reporting for duty, sir." The woman with red hair and her arms behind her back had said. She had hazel eyes, freckles all over her face, and her hair was up in a pointy tail. She had a wrist band around her wrist and she had dark black long boots on. She was a lieutenant commander. She was in sick bay where the doctor was standing by the Vulcan looking down toward the Vulcan in concern but hope.
McCoy looked up toward her, a eternal frown plastered on his face.
"Good, you are our new first officer." McCoy said.
"Doctor, what about the captain?" Neferit asked.
"He is goin' to be out for at least two days. His mind is recoverin' from the pain he suffered." McCoy said.
Neferit nodded.
"I will do my best to survive being first officer, sir." Neferit said.
"Don't call me 'sir'," McCoy said. "Call me 'doctor'."
"Si-doctor," Neferit said. "I knew former Commander Meadow. I did not expect her to be taken by the Romulans. She was my . . confident."
McCoy briefly closed his eyes then reopened them.
"Niether did I," McCoy said. "Now report to the bridge, Neferit."
"Yes, doctor." Neferit said.
"And get yourself another uniform with the right arm bands!" McCoy shouted after her.
"I will!" Neferit said.
The doors closed behind the woman as he looked back toward the Vulcan.
The shuttle turned around then flew through the shuttle bay and out of the forcefield. There we can see outside that the Enterprise A had crashed into the second Romulan Starship that was blindly shooting at the first Romulan starship. The two starships were firing at the first Romulan ship taking care of the starship that had been attacked previous by the Enterprise A. The second Romulan starship exploded sending out scrap metal and all kinds of material in all directions. Spock watched the saucer section to the Enterprise peel away riveting him with great feelings. Spock felt a hand take his.
Spock looked over to see that it was McCoy.
"Thank you," Spock squeezed McCoy's hand. "For being my friend."
"I have, and always will be, your friend," McCoy said. "Haven't you realized that all ready?"
The first Romulan starship was disabled and there it exploded shortly afterwards.
"Not after what I did?" Spock asked.
"You were still learnin' who you were,Spock," McCoy said. "Friends forgive and forget."
"Captain McCoy!"
McCoy turned from his chair in the direction of the CMO Andrew Brevin.
"What is it?" McCoy asked.
"It is the Ambassador." Brevin said.
"Which one?" McCoy asked.
"The younger one. The Vulcan," Brevin said. "We . . . managed to beam him up before the Romulans destroyed his shuttle craft. He had some scrapes and bruises from his escape. Don't know how he got himself into this mess."
"Dear god, where was he headin'?" McCoy asked.
"He refuses to speak." Brevin said.
McCoy got up from the chair in a red, white, and black uniform.
"Commander Bob, you have the conn." McCoy said.
The two medical professionals went into the turbo lift. The doors closed. It had been since he had last met up with Spock. Though Spock Prime had passed away seventeen years ago quietly with David Kirk and Carol Marcus by his side, Spock was there too. He was given the highlights of the best that Spock Prime had. David Kirk got to see what his father was like, at least another version, it was quite sad when David talked about it. David fell for a Romulan named Saviik and bonded with her, ending up with two halfbreeds in their hands.
The doors opened before the two men.
The two men came down the hall.
"Captain." Brevin said,
"Yes, Doctor Brevin?" McCoy said.
"How long has it been since you last spoke with the Ambassador?" Brevin asked.
"Ten days ago," McCoy said. They were in a red and white uniform. He had the captain pips. "We were reminiscing about the past."
"What was it like being on the Enterprise?" Brevin asked.
"Well. . . it was. . . it was fun." McCoy said, flashing a brief lived smile.
The two came into med bay with the doors closing behind them.
Bones.
"Spock!" McCoy came to the Vulcan who seemed unearthily ill. "What the hell happened to you?"
"We were. . . I was. . . I was negotiating," Spock said. "I do not believe I can make to 2387."
"It is 2327," McCoy said. "Brevin,get his blood, and work with it!" Brevin got out the hypospray and then took some of Spock's green blood. "And you are very wrong,Ambassador, on this assumption because you are on the best hospital starship in the fleet! You wouldn't have come here if you had known it was incurable. We are goin' to help you, pointy eared hobglobin, and you are not dyin' on me again!"
"I was infected on my negotiation," Spock said. "The James T. Kirk was nearby . . ." He briefly closed his eyes, in pain, greatly. "I realized whoever infected me must have some connection to the Klingon-Romulan alliance. It was part of the great plan to unite the Klingons with Star Fleet."
"Why the change of heart?" McCoy asked.
"I met a Klingon named Worf two years ago, on a mission, top secret, could not tell you, he saved my life and I saved his," Spock said. "My attacker. . . the one who infected me. . . Is. . . someone we all watched expire twenty-seven years ago." McCoy stood by the side of the Vulcan as Brevin ordered a nurse to give him some hypo pain killers to make him comfortable. "It was. . . It was Meadow."
McCoy's skin went pale.
"See, Spock?" McCoy sat on a bench alongside the old Vulcan who now was as old as Spock Prime upon his arrival into the alternate universe. "No one died this time around."
McCoy's arm went along the Vulcan's shoulder.
"It was . . ." Spock paused. "Different."
"If Jim were here to see this day . . ." McCoy said.
"Jim would never have seen this day, Leonard, no matter what did or tried to do." Spock said.
Spock was in his Ambassador robes and McCoy was very, very, very old. His hair was gray and so was Spock's hair. They had wrinkles on their faces. Spock's ears seemed bigger than they were then when he was younger. They seemed to be comfortable with one another with McCoy facing the Vulcan partially leaning forward and his left leg over his right knee. The sun was seemingly setting on San Fransisco over the sea.
"What do you intend to do for the last century of your life?" McCoy asked.
"Spend it like today is my last," Spock said. "As I do every day."
"When I am gone. . ." McCoy said. "Don't indulge yourself into damn chocolate. You hear?"
"It would illogical to indulge myself to death, Leonard, as you won't be gone-" Spock started to remind the human.
"I am just concerned for you, Ambassador," McCoy said, cutting Spock off. "We are just relics of a hundred years."
The Vulcan turned his head in the direction of the human.
"I never told you about Worf." Spock said.
"What is it?" McCoy said.
"He was from the future." Spock said.
"Wait, he was. . .are you tellin' me Captain Worf went back in time!" McCoy said, in shock.
Spock nodded.
"It turned out in his timeline it already happened," Spock said. "Predestination paradox."
"I find it hard to believe that Star Fleet hasn't documented that." McCoy said.
"It has not happened yet." Spock said.
"So he told you how far he was from." McCoy said, softly.
"Affirmative." Spock said.
There was a period of silence between the two as McCoy unwrapped his arm from around the Vulcan's shoulder.
"You know. . . when I get to the great beyond," McCoy said. "I should probably tell Meadow of the people who pretended to be her and attempted to stop you."
"Perhaps she already knows." Spock said.
"They tarnished her image," McCoy said. "But not her memory. I hope . . . those people. . . who pretended to be her are suffering the wrath of god."
The corners of Spock's lips turned upwards.
"I like to believe so," Spock said. "Leonard. . . I plan on submitting my mind to the second great hall of thoughts."
"I hope this time you get there." McCoy said.
"I will." Spock said.
"You know, if . . Amanda asks, I am sure she will understand." McCoy said.
"She will." Spock said.
"And Sarek . . . Looks like you are goin' to reunite with your father." McCoy said.
"Leonard. . . Unlike my counterpart, I do not have long to live." Spock said.
There is this gasp that is stuck in McCoy's throat.
"What do you have?" McCoy asked.
"Being elderly." Spock said.
A laugh escaped from McCoy.
"It is your human half, ain't it?" McCoy asked.
"Affirmative." Spock said.
"Did you have a heart attack recently?" McCoy asked.
"Affirmative." Spock said.
There was a brief period of silence between them.
"I will miss you, old friend." McCoy finally said.
"As will I," Spock said. "But you can always find me on New Vulcan."
McCoy took the elderly small bony hand of the Vulcan and squeezed it.
"We had the best of times." McCoy said.
"And the greatest years together." Spock finished.
"You came to say goodbye." McCoy said, his voice trembling and his vision became blurry.
"Affirmative, Rear Admiral." Spock said, their eyes meeting one another.
"You saved Romulus and now. . . you are goin' home," McCoy said. "For one last time. This time for good."
"I have retired my Ambassador title and encouraged Picard to take up what he is good at," Spock said. "I have already made my goodbye to Mr Scott." Spock wiped a tear off the doctor's face. "I will die on my own accord, Leonard. One hundred fifty-eight years have been glorious, golden, a trial of heartbreak and triumph." Spock lowered his hand down as his free hand freely came out of McCoy's. "When I meet the minds of other Vulcans, young, bright, intellectual, and growing, I will remind them that using logic is not always the case. Humans, in fact, are the greatest companions they will ever come across."
"Spock . . ." McCoy said.
"And the crew? I will never see them again. Our Enterprise family. I do not deserve to see Jim again. After what I did to him . . ." Spock sounded ashamed of himself. "You have been the best friend I ever had, been there for me, comforted me, and got me up on my legs again. I have done the same for you, as you have done for me, and I hope. . . one day . . . That our minds would meet. But you will not know me. You will have a feeling we met before. Which, in fact, will be true. I am honored to have a T'hy'la like you in my life."
McCoy could feel tears streaming down his cheeks.
"I knew it!" McCoy said.
Spock raised an gray arched eyebrow.
"What is that, Rear Admiral?" Spock asked.
"I should never have connected your brain back to your mouth!" McCoy said.
The Vulcan brought the old man into a hug and let him cry.
McCoy stared down at the torpedo.
"Damn Vulcans," McCoy said. "They should out live us, not die before us."
A tear landed on the torpedo, which inside, had the body of an elderly Spock seemingly at peace. His mind had been transferred to the second great hall of thought after his death. Another tear landed on the torpedo. The Vulcan had brought emotions in others. McCoy turned away from the torpedo coming to the side of the rails. Jean-Luc Picard, recently now a Ambassador, stood along the rails. He had recently shaved his hair. There were many other people on the Enterprise E from all over the galaxy who came to witness the departure of Ambassador Spock.
McCoy wiped his tear away.
"Doctor." Scotty was there, as well.
"Scotty," McCoy said. "Glad you could make it."
"I would nae miss it for the world." There was a twinkle in Scotty's eyes.
There was a melody being played, the torpedo shuttle doors opened, revealing to space the finest Vulcan there ever was.
"Goodbye, Mr Spock." McCoy said,watching the Torpedo sliding toward the hole.
Scotty and McCoy were the only surviving members of the Enterprise remaining as the torpedo shot through into the nearby sun.
Leonard awoke in Med Bay feeling like he had been out for some time.
"Bones!" Jim loomed over. "What did I tell you about visiting the Gaurdian?"
Spock was right beside him, giving a very Vulcan impression, and shitshitshitshitshitshit why was he missing something that never was?
"Not to go." Leonard said.
"And you went, anyway," Jim said. "I allowed you shore-leave to recuperate but you had to go there. Why did you? You were gone for three days!"
"The captain was understandably worried about you after you had not returned twenty-four hours," Spock said. "Your absence disturbed him."
"Bones, what did you see that made you not get back?" Jim asked.
It came back to Leonard. The Guardian of forever had sent out a beam right into face knocking him back to the dirt. It was increasingly obvious that he had been witnessing a hundred years worth of memories that was organized into three days. He frowned at the young man's question getting himself halfway up.
"I was out for three days!" Leonard said. "I had to see what happened after your departure, and oh, don't worry about your Spock and your Bones, they were . . . " Leonard took a sigh. "That was the most intense, oh god, that was . . . I can't describe it." He shook his head. "It was a extraordinary friendship. It really defined them as individuals."
Spock raised an eyebrow and Jim folded his arms.
"Bones, you are not to visit the guardian of forever without an security officer," Jim said. "You worried the hell out of me!"
"Bridge to Kaptain Kirk," Came Chekov's voice. "Admiral Pike would like to speak with you. Chekov out."
"Right," Jim said. "I forgot about that."
Jim left sick bay.
"Extraordinary?" Spock asked. "How?"
"It was just amazin'," McCoy said. "You wouldn't understand how, Mr Spock. Overwhelmin' the memories are. There is only one person who does."
"Hello, Ambassador." Leonard greeted the Vulcan on screen.
"Hello, old friend." Spock Prime said.
A smile grew on Leonard's face.
"I . . . I think I understand what your friendship with other me might have been like," Spock Prime raised an eyebrow. "For the past three days I have been processing memories of a entire lifetime from another universe where other Jim had come from. Lab test came positive that he is Jim." Leonard sighed. "I watched . . . I watched the other Spock grow old. I know so many things that will not happen in this timeline. There are some highlights to the memories . . . the best and the worst."
"Fascinating." Spock Prime said.
"It was," Leonard said. "And since . . . My Spock and other Jim won't be around long . . . I believe someone else is goin' to be savin' Romulus."
Spock Prime stared at the screen, blankly.
"What do you mean?" Spock Prime asked.
"I have made my decision," Leonard said. "I am goin'. In 2387."
"No, I will." Spock Prime said.
"Ambassador . . .I have numerous stories of the other universe . . . would you like to hear them?" Leonard asked.
We see the image of Spock and McCoy sitting on the bench appear.
"I see why not." Spock Prime said.
Spock slowly fades from the bench as McCoy is talking.
"Well then." Leonard said, contemplating how to begin.
McCoy is the second to fade away.
"I can wait all day." Spock Prime said.
The image of Spock crying, seeing the image of Jim and other Spock kissing, appeared.
"It started after Jim left," Leonard began. "And neither of them knew it was the beginning of a beautiful friendship."
Then we see McCoy and Spock, middle aged, bickering while heading down a familiar hall that had Vulcan signatures. McCoy had a knapsack over his shoulder being his medical kit. There was a clear white light coming from the doorway making the reflection of shadows. The outside was completely black. There were some Vulcan guards with weird helmets at the doors holding onto staffs. The two's shadows were carried behind the two unlikely friends while they were bickering about some subject. The doors closed behind them.
The End.