Star Fleet hadn't expected Nero's arrival in twenty-five years. But then one day he appeared above Vulcan and drilled a huge hole into it. Starships were dispatched to the area, but then, just then, there was a high leveled threat issued. Capable of destroying a planet and all the starships with it. Including the entire galaxy if he wanted to.
"What do you want?" Captain Sarah Stiner of the Farragut asked.
Nero was on the other side of the screen on the Narada.
"I want the Enterprise." Nero said.
"But the Enterprise is slated to be-" Stiner was cut off.
"I want her captain." Nero had sharply said.
"Captain Pike?" Stiner asked..
"No." Nero said.
"Then. . . who?" Stiner asked.
"Captain James T. Kirk," Nero said. "And his fellow officers at this time must be: Lieutenant Nyota Uhura, Lieutenant Commander Scott Montgomery, Chief Medical Officer Leonard H. McCoy, Ensign Pavel Chekov, Lieutenant Commander Hikaru Sulu, Science officer and first officer Mr Spock. I want them to witness their captain's murder, live. If you do not give me what I want then I will detonate this planet and you along with it."
"I will contact my superiors about this." Stiner said.
"I expect them at the ready." Nero said, his grip around the staff tightening.
"Stiner out." Stiner said.
Jim sat on the biobed recovering from the allergic reaction to the hypospray that had been given to him by McCoy. Oddly enough, the Enterprise was headed straight to Delta Vega. Pike came down to med bay to speak with the man himself. The captain came into the med bay then directly to the side of the biobed where a sheepish Kirk sat.
"It was Bones idea." Jim said.
"You must be the luckiest or unluckiest man I ever met," Pike said. "We have a hostage situation and Nero, the Romulan, wants you."
Jim appeared to be surprised.
"I never met him." Jim said.
"He thinks you are captain of the Enterprise." Pike said.
Jim had a short laugh.
"I am a cadet," Jim said. "What does he think I am? Mr Speedy graduate?"
"He is holding three starships and one planet hostage with a weapon capable of destroying the entire galaxy, cadet," Pike said. Jim had a long look on his face as realization hit him. "You have to pretend you are captain on the bridge."
"Pretend?" Jim said. "I can do that."
Scotty was beamed aboard the Enterprise without his friend Keenser.
"What a beauty!" Scotty said, looking around the transporter room stepping off the pad.
"Hello there," Jim said, so Scotty turned in the direction of the source of Jim's voice. Jim was clad in star fleet uniform with his classic friendly smile. "I am your captain for the day," Jim held his hand out. "James T. Kirk."
"Scott Montgomery," Scotty said, shaking the cadet's hand, "But my friends call me Scotty." He had the strangest feeling about Jim. "I feel like I know you."
"I get that a lot," Jim said, as their hand shake ended and they let go. "Today, you are chief engineer AND you get to be on the bridge."
"Why the bridge?" Scotty asked.
"It is what Nero wants." Jim said.
". . . Nero?" Scotty said.
"The guy who destroyed The Kelvin. He is holding Vulcan and three starships hostage. I will see you on the bridge, Scotty."
The man walked out.
"Hey, you should beam up my friend!" Scotty told the transporter ensign. "I was nae the only one on Delta Vega!"
They arrived to the location that Nero's starship was resting. There were shivers that rose up Jim's spine. Leonard was on the bridge feeling goosebumps go down his skin. This was the same starship that had been damaged by the Kelvin. Soley responsible for George Kirk's death. Spock looked over from his station to see the illogical starship over Vulcan.
"Establish hailing, Lieutenant Uhura." Jim said.
"Hailing." Uhura said.
The screen grew to life with Nero on the screen.
"Ah," Nero said. Then his face faltered. "Your. . . eyes. . . . are . . . blue."
"Thank you." Jim said.
"You are not James T. Kirk." Nero said.
Jim looked over toward Bones, baffled, then back in the direction of Nero.
"Yes, I am." Jim said.
"When were you born?" Nero asked.
"March 22nd,2233. In space." Jim said.
"James T. Kirk was born in Iowa, Riverside." Nero said.
"So? I am your man," Jim said. "And what do you want with my crew?"
"Killing you would end Star Fleet," Nero said. "And be a reminder of what caused their misery when you die before their eyes."
Jim raised an eyebrow.
"I am not the head of it." Jim said.
"But it would do fitting. Killing you would mean the death of Earth in 2286 and Star Fleet itself. Ending you would harm my friend, Mr Spock, and prevent his growth in humanity. A cold blooded kil-"
"Okay, that is enough of you," Jim said. "Here is what is going to happen." Jim stood up. "You are going to take out the drill and lower your weapons. You are going to tell me what in the name of hell brought you here, why you attacked the Kelvin, and why I am so important to you! I have met people who were bigger asshole than you were. I have faced false gods and fake gods. I have personally been responsible for their deaths and their defeats. Vulcans are not cold blooded killers. In fact, they are emotional killers. I mean, I served with one for two months!"
"You don't realize one thing." Nero said.
"Well. What is that?" Jim asked.
"You would have brought peace with Klingons and Star Fleet that would last for centuries. You would have died under a bridge if not for my intervention at the age of sixty. You would have been on a dying planet rescuing the mindless Vulcan's body, Mr Spock, and killing a Klingon while at it. You would have saved Earth from a whale probe using a humpback whale on a bird of prey. You would have been hailed as heroes and been in Earth's debt. But now, that won't happen. None of it will. I want to speak with you, personally, on my bridge. Admiral."
Jim looked around.
"There is no admiral on this bridge." Jim said.
"You are the admiral." Nero said.
"You are from the future, aren't you?" Jim asked.
"Of course I am," Nero said. "You have ten minutes to beam yourself over. Say your farewells to your crew. Nero out."
The screen turned black.
"I suggest you go with back up, captain." Spock said.
Jim glared in the direction of Spock.
"No way, Mr Spock," Jim said. "This is my negotiation. Let me do the job I have been tasked to do."
"You will go with that Vulcan, damn it!" McCoy said. "I made a promise to your mother."
"The 'keep me safe' one?" Jim asked, baffled. "The last time she made a man promise that, my brother ran away."
"You are goin' to be a admiral one day then you must take him with you." McCoy said.
"The doctor makes a valid point." Spock said.
"But that is only if I come back and I am sure as hell that I won't," Jim said. "Besides, if he destroyed the Kelvin then . . . uh. . . what is this?"
"A alternate universe." Spock said.
"And someone else will save Star Fleet," Jim said. "You have plenty of spoilers to save it."
"Not necassarily," Spock said. "There is a probable chance of failing."
"Jim," McCoy said. "You are going with him."
"Standard mission protocol dictates the first officer occupy the commanding officer to dangerous situations." Spock said.
Jim sighed.
"All right," Jim said, then he looked over toward the Vulcan. "But you are going to miss out on a really long life."
"Negative, I will not." Spock said.
Jim shook his head then walked into the turbo lift occupied by Mr Spock.
"Deck five." Jim said.
"Cadet," Spock said. "Have you served with a Vulcan?"
"I was lying." Jim said.
Spock raised an eyebrow.
"Then why did you defend me?" Spock asked.
"Oh," Jim said, looking over in the direction of the Vulcan. "Is this about me cheating on the test?" Spock paused, contemplating that. "Listen, you made it easy to figure out that you have emotions. Because if you had not felt cheated out and pissed off that I cheated on the test then I would not have the trial. Sure someone would have figured that out later, but," He held his index finger up. "You are not cold blooded. I can't picture a rule stickler as cold blooded and a killer."
Jim turned away.
"Thank you." Spock said.
The turbo lift doors opened to show Captain Pike standing by the doors.
"Mr Spock, you don't have to go," Pike said. "He is not a star fleet officer."
"But today he is." Spock said.
"He doesn't know the word pretend." Jim joked.
"Yes, I do." Spock shot back.
Jim stepped forward, but when he did. He was mentally transported to another time. Walking down a unfamiliar hall. He looked over to see a Spock-like Vulcan alongside chatting with a doctor who shared a fair resemblance to McCoy except for the lines on his face and the graying hair including those light blue eyes. They were debating about a subject that escaped him. There was something natural that felt about this. They were headed toward the transporter room. The Spock like character went first, then the McCoy like character, and then so did he. There were two red shirts standing by with phasers loaded. There was a Scotty like character standing by at the transporter console. The McCoy character grumbled about transporter malfunctioning and spreading his pattern everywhere.
Jim shook his head.
Jim walked down the hall toward the transporter room doors.
Nero had a third hostage on his bridge. He had two of his best men by the Vulcan's side. He hadn't been allowed to be seen by the view screen but now he is in the line of sight. This Vulcan was one fifty-eight Ambassador Spock, though Spock Prime if anyone wants to be specific. His brown eyes were staring in the direction of the door with 'please, no' look in his eyes. Spock's long ago black hair had turned gray. His eyebrows were not even that dark but gray. Spock Prime looked over toward the Romulan.
"You will watch your best friend die, and there is nothing you can do about it." Nero said.
"I accept responsibility for my failure," Spock Prime said. "But it is not logical to take another life for a planet."
"He is worth a entire planet and you know that." Nero said.
Spock Prime was disturbed by Nero's train of thought.
"If you destroyed Star Fleet then Romulans would be overcome by the Klingons," Spock Prime said. "It is only logical. You are dooming your own race."
"But they will leave instead of staying on Romulus in 2387," Nero said. "It is more logical than staying on it and being vaporized!" He stepped forward toward the Vulcan. "Your determined will be cut off, the very man that defined your humanity will not be there to make you dedicate yourself to unification. It was his valor that inspired you. You did it in his name to unify our people."
"Logically, I succeeded with the destruction of your planet," Spock Prime replied. "Romulans and Vulcans working together."
Spock Prime was sent falling down to the ground then he rubbed the side of his cheek that now had a scar.
"You are a traitor to your race." Nero said.
Spock Prime glared back at the Romulan.
"I would not say that to my younger self if I were you," Spock Prme said. "Because of your arrival. . . Who knows what may be different."
The turbo lift doors opened and in came a staggering young blue eyed fake captain with a equally young Vulcan by his side with his hands locked behind his back. Jim had crashed down to his knees from the sudden strong shove/poke from the edge of a disruptor. Spock Prime easily could have held his breath at the sight of the young man. He recognized that face. Those eyes he did not recognize. So that is how much the timeline was diverged. Asides to the murder of George Kirk. Spock Prime had been in disbelief hearing Nero comment on the man's eyes. The look of horror was replaced curiosity on the older Vulcan's face.
"Answer my questions," Jim said. "You attacked my father's ship."
"Mr Spock can answer that for you." Nero said, picking up the spear.
"I cannot." Spock said.
"I can." The two men looked in the direction of Spock Prime.
"Is that your dad, commander?" Jim asked.
"Negative," Spock said. "It appears he is me."
"To kill James T. Kirk prior to birth," Spock Prime said. "To kill him in the womb before he was born. I am Ambassador Spock and I have failed the Romulans. For that, illogicaly, Earth must pay dearly."
"Hail the Enterprise." Nero said. On the screen appeared the Enterprise crew, worried, then their eyes widened on the bridge. "I hope you made your farewells, Captain Kirk."
Jim snickered.
"I don't need to," Jim said. "Death is only the beginning."
"The beginning of a great crew ends here!" Nero gave stabbed the spear through Jim's chest.
Jim wrapped around his hand around the item, looking back, with a defiant look in his eyes.
"Is that all you got?" Jim asked, as a blood trail came from the corner of his mouth.
Spock's hand traveled to a hidden phaser.
"Fire on the Enterprise." Nero said, yanking out the spear.
The screen turned to black on the other side of the screen aboard the Enterprise. Sulu raised the shields up in the nick of time and fired the torpedoes upon the attacking starship. The blue force field surrounded the Enterprise that trembled. At least one fire from the Narada struck through the shields. Uhura reported damages on the lower decks as though it came natural. McCoy was frozen in shock, shell shocked really, about what he had just seen. The Turbo lift door opened letting in Captain Pike. Then McCoy went on auto-pilot at the sound of the man's voice. He ran into the turbo-lift and requested to be taken down to deck five.
The doors closed on the doctor.
Jim needed medical attention, immediately.
Tears clouded Leonard's vision.
The infant was his best friend, spent three years sharing the same room, and three years of standing each others antics. Much as Jim was annoying, the kid actually rubbed off on him and had earned his spot on Leonard's soft side. Leonard took two nurses from sick bay and got them to the transporter room in five minutes complete with a stretcher, and a blood suppresser. If there was anyone capable of getting back alive from a no-win scenario then it would be Jim. McCoy watched two figures appear on the transporter pad. One seemed to be short and the other was taller.
"We need a doctor!" Came a older voice, instead, keeping pressure on Jim's wound.
"Get him over here." McCoy said.
In seconds Jim was on the stretcher, the Vulcan's hands was covered in blood, and at least the side of his attire was coated in it too. McCoy looked over to see a striking resemblance between the commander and the older Vulcan. The name 'Spock?' came out of the doctor's mouth followed by a nod from the Vulcan. The Vulcan nodded. McCoy issued a quick thank you to the Vulcan then went with the nurses to take him directly to Med Bay for a operation. Scotty had walked into the transporter room where behind the console was Freenser looking over the console with his pair of bug eyes were looking at the screen.
"Mr Scott," Spock Prime said. "It is good to see you again."
"One to beam up." Came Spock's voice over the console.
Scotty went over toward the transporter console then slid up the bars. Spock appeared on the transporter pad as the Narada exploded due to the collision of the JellyFish. In thin air, within space, appeared a red ball freely floating in space. Two Starships used their tractor beams to keep it into place then they flew away into warp carrying the red matter with them. Hours later the red matter was tossed into empty space where it was shot at. The starships flew away leaving it to destroy itself which would take approximately five minutes.
"B. . . Bones." Jim awoke in the hospital.
"I am here, Jim." McCoy said, by the side of his friend.
"How long was I out?" Jim asked.
"Three days."
"Three days!"
"You need a heart transplant."
"I. . I. . .?"
"You have a mechanical heart inside your chest and you were really pushin' your luck bein' defiant with the Romulan. All of which are dead. And guess what? We suddenly have whales in the ocean, Jellyfish, Dolphins, and all those aquatic creatures including those sharks. Yesterday there was nothing in the ocean and now there is. I am thinkin' Star Fleet did somethin' about impendin' future." There was a blonde woman with blue eyes leaning against the doorframe. Jim was laughing. "And there is a lady askin' to speak with you. Her name is Gillian Taylor, she studies humpback whales."
Taylor waved at the two.
"Why me?" Jim asked.
McCoy shrugged.
"I have no idea," McCoy said. "But I got medical experience today saving your ass. Next time I might not be there."
McCoy left the room.
Taylor walked in.
"Hello." Taylor said.
"Hi." Jim said.
"I was told you were the one who saved Earth originally." Taylor said.
"I didn't save Earth," Jim said. "Other me did."
"I met him." Taylor blurted.
"Met who?" Jim asked.
"Your counterpart. I didn't go," Taylor said. "It took time to find some two fertile whales again. Two years at most? I saved them from being slaughtered. I didn't forget those hazel eyes. He had hazel eyes. I could tell there was a thing between him and that odd guy in the white wardrobe with green skin. Are you gay by any chance?"
"No, I am not." Jim said.
Taylor came to the side of the bed.
"Selek told me you could be on my science assignment." Taylor said.
"Science assignment?" Jim's eyes widened. "That is a first I have heard of anything about it."
"I was told you could be a security officer, an Ensign." Taylor said.
Jim grinned looking over to see a that a familiar face was looking. Jim had a look of gratitude toward the elder. Spock Prime nodded back. Old Spock just managed to sneak him back into star fleet without ever taking command,Jim thought, that was unexpected. The older Vulcan seemed to be content that things were somewhat going to be the same but maybe not. The friendship that defined them as individuals could not take place due to the sudden meeting at the Kobyashi Maru trial. Spock Prime had never met Jim at the trial. In fact they had met on the Enterprise.
Spock Prime walked down the hall.
Until he was stopped by himself, naturally.
"Ambassador." Spock said.
Spock Prime came to a stop looking over toward his younger counterpart.
"Commander." Spock Prime greeted.
"Why did you blackmail Star Fleet?" Spock asked.
"Even though this Jim will not be a captain of the Enterprise," Spock Prime said. "He will captain a ship. That is his destiny. To be a captain. To be on the bridge. I expect him to forge his own destiny and fate as should you. He will be important, to Star Fleet, in the future regardless of the panel's decision."
Spock appeared to be confused.
"Are you implying we are T'hy'la's?" Spock asked.
"Am I?" Spock Prime asked back. "Your choice. He will be on the USS Jefferson."
"How do you feel about being somewhere you do not belong?" Spock asked.
"Fine," Spock Prime said. "You know where you belong, Mr Spock." Spock Prime held his hand up doing the ta'al sign. "Live long and prosper."
"Live long and prosper, Ambassador." Spock reciprocated.
We see a flash to the future, five years from now, Jim being assigned to his first commanding vessel. A scouting vessel.
Spock Prime had a smile then turned away and resumed his path.
Jim walked onto the USS Flipper's bridge.
"Keptain on the bridge." Chekov said.
Spock Prime knew, despite all odds, that the Enterprise crew would end up on the same ship.
"Status report, Lieutenant Uhura?" Jim asked.
"All personnel prepared for the mission, captain." Uhura reported.
Spock headed down the opposite side of the hall.
"How is our logical friend?" Jim asked, with a pleased smile darting his eyes in the direction of his second best friend forever-ever-and-ever-and-ever.
"Satifactory." Came Spock's reply.
Spock Prime went into the turbo lift.
"How is our ship,Scotty?" Jim asked, over the comm.
"Purrin' like a kitten," Scotty replied. "Captain."
Two other hospital visitors joined Spock Prime.
McCoy looked over from his shoulder to see a Ensign come in with a injured foot.
"And we haven't even gone into space," McCoy said. "Sit down on the biobed, Ensign Lively."
Spock Prime pressed a button.
Jim sat down into the captain's chair.
Spock went into the adjoining doorway vanishing from the older Vulcan's sight.
"Purely friends as it seems." Spock Prime said, fascinated.
The Flipper was a smaller classed starship unlike the Enterprise.
The little girl, alongside the woman, looked up with curious eyes toward Spock as the doors closed.
"Hello, Mr Vulcan." Jessie, a little girl, greeted him.
Spock Prime looked down toward the red head girl.
"Hello." Spock Prime said.
Chekov manned the navigator station.
"My name is Jessie." Jessie said.
Sulu had a picture of a little girl on his console.
The mother, Elizabeth, looked over toward her daughter.
"Jessie, what did I tell you about talking with strangers?" Elizabeth said.
The USS Flipper flew into warp mode to begin her first mission out of many.
"It is fine," Spock Prime said. "My name is Ambassador Selek . . .and you must be?"
"Elizabeth Janeway." Elizabeth said.
"Fascinating." Spock Prime said.
"I get that a lot." Elizabeth said.
Spock Prime looked over toward Jessie.
"You do not know how fortunate you are to be a Janeway." Spock Prime said.
"Very." Jessie said, casually.
"Extremely." Spock Prime said.
The End.