AN) From the seven of you who reviewed to the seventeen who alerted me I am so sory for the delay on this. I meant to update this when I came back from camp, but then school started and I ran out of time. I'd say more but I have no plosible reason for abandoning this for so long other than life kicking my ass.
The First Step to Understanding
( Chapter 1)
"Look. You want the first sentence to set the tone...
to grab the reader and take him into the story.
Call me Ishmael. Right?
It was the best of times it was the worst of times.
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Do you see why I can't begin? The giants that have gone before me."
-Alex and Emma 2003
(One of My Favorite Movies)
"Shall we get started?" Jim asked surveying the rest of the room uneasily. Upon seeing nods from the rest of the room he prepared himself to read.
"Captain," Spock spoke up.
"Jim," the man in question corrected.
"Jim," Spock amended, "perhaps I should read first." The rest of the room looked at him uncertainly. "Based on certain events and dates it is perfectly logical that I-"
"It's ok Mr. Spock," Jim said cutting him off, "here you are." He said handing the book over relieved.
"Star Trek," Spock began reading, "A novel by Alan Dean Foster, Written by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, Based upon "Star Trek" created by Gene Roddenberry."
"Who?" Everyone asked puzzled but they moved on because nobody seemed to have an answer.
"The star was a supergiant and very old. Over billions of years the forces that had powered it through its long life had finally exhausted themselves. Now it was falling upon itself."
"Could this be talking about the star that destroyed Romulus?" Jim asked. Many of the crew hadn't heard about the way Romulus was destroyed. "Never mind," he sighed, "you'll find out later."
The cataclysmic gravitational collapse triggered the spectacular explosion known as a supernova. What was left at the core of the supergiant was a neutron star, cold, and dense, and dead.
Everyone shivered.
Everything else was blown outward, creating a brilliantly glowing shock wave traveling at nearly a tenth of the speed of light that swept up everything in its path. For a day or two this supernova remnant would shine more brightly than any other corner of the galaxy. A star had died.
"That sounds oddly beautiful." Uhura said softly. Everyone murmured in agreement.
Elsewhere in the cosmos, in an unremarkable corner of one galactic arm, a child was born. Such is the balance of existence.
Spock paused for a moment to think about that, but he wasn't the only one. Jim thought back to the Kelvin incident and his father who had to die so he could live. Bones sensing where his friend's thoughts were going quickly nudged him with his arm. Jim looked up and gave him a smile that was obviously fake, but he said nothing about it.
Though his arrival was considerably less dramatic than the passing of the supergiant, it was in its own way no less remarkable. As some stars have unusual origins, so too did the squalling infant.
Everyone looked at Spock who bent his head even farther towards the book, the tips of his ears green.
At this moment this was not a concern of the pair of medical specialists who were attending the delivery. Reflecting as well as honoring their own ancient culture, the actual birthing was a combination of the traditional and the ultramodern. The former ensured that the occasion would be memorable for the mother while the later precluded any possibility of a miscarriage. Though they had overseen hundreds of birthings, the medical team in attendance was especially focused on the one taking place that morning. This was not because the father happened to be of high status and held various important positions within the government,
It was because the mother-was different.
Spock took a calming breath, Uhura noting this placed a calming hand on his arm.
As she cleaned the newborn, the older of the two specialists noted the infant's steady breathing as well as the force with which he kicked. His occasional squalling rose above the soft traditional music that filled the room.
"Awww" Uhura at her boyfriend crooned when she could no longer hold it in. She then glared at every other member of the crew as they laughed at her reaction.
"He is strong this one."
Carefully she passed it to the mother.
Everyone looked down at the mention of Lady Amanda. After a few moments Spock started reading again.
As she took her offspring in her arms, tears began to trickle down her smooth cheeks.
"Hello," she whispered to her child.
Taking her superior aside, the younger specialist murmured softly as she studied the tender bonding-and the peculiar weeping.
"The baby is healthy. Why does she cry?"
The older women replied, as if it explained everything, "She is human,"
It did explain everything.
"How dare they!" Uhura shrieked with rage.
"Nyota" Spock tried to cut her off.
"No! It's not right, it's prejudice against humans!" she went on ranting for a few minutes until she was eventually stopped by Jim.
"I think we get the picture Lieutenant."
"Sorry" She sat down embarrassed.
A distant buzz caused both of them to turn. "Sarek arrives," the senior of the two specialists observed.
His breathing was labored from the haste with which he had traveled, but Sarek remained completely under control. In other words for a new Vulcan father, he was normal. Though he regarded the exhausted mother of their child without smiling, the pride and affection he felt shone clearly on his face.
Though they betrayed no emotion, all the attendants in the room strained for a better look.
"They had no right!" Uhura, still clearly annoyed from earlier, snarled with venom. At the half bewildered/ half scared looks she was getting from the men around her, she bowed her head. "Sorry," she murmured her cheeks flaming. "I'll try to keep it down"
Details of the pregnancy and the subsequent delivery were hardly conventional and the attendants' curiosity was understandable.
As her respiration returned to normal Amanda Grayson regarded her newborn proudly. Though she was the only human in the delivery chamber, she did not feel isolated or alone. It was state of affairs to which she had grown accustomed and one that she willingly embraced.
"She sounds like an amazing woman," Jim noted aloud.
"She was." Came the all to quiet response from Spock. And that was that.
Besides, she was hardly alone. Sarek was there. Her husband was there.
And about time, too.
A round of weak laughter sounded through the room.
Pushing back his hood, Sarek approached the bed and knelt beside it. Having completed her duties, the musical specialist stepped back to allow the parents their first moment together as a complete family.
Nyota scoweled darkley at the mention of the specialists.
Like her companions, the specialist said nothing. It was not her job to comment on the singular circumstances of the birth and certainly not the time to do so. Her task and those of their associates was to bring the newborns safely into the world. This they had done, with skill and precision and caring. Any personal opinions they might hold are kept entirely quiet.
"As it should be," Bones interrupted, his opinion as a Doctor coming out.
To do so would have been … impolitic.
Everyone at the table groaned or glared
Sarek knelt beside his wife and child. "Well done."
"Massive understatement," Sulu, who had had the dubius honor of being with his aunt when she had her daughter. He shuddered darkly in an effort to repress the memories before tuning back in.
Through the joy she still managed a sardonic reply. "Thanks"
Several people, McCoy in particular, stared unbelievingly as Spock gave an honest-to-god (albeit very short) chuckle. After a silent moment Jim told Spock to begin reading again, preferring to let him deal with the memory of Amanda Grayson as he saw fit, the way he deserved to.
The awkwardness of the moment caused him to momentarily look away. "Your tone suggests disappointment. I fully understand. To be absent at the critical moment was not my wish. The Science Council required my presence for a session regarding…"
"If in a situation like that," Nyota begain looking at Spock, "not that I saying the situation will ever arise," she shot a warning glare at everyone at the table, "if you use any excuses as horrible as that one I will murder you." Spock looked a bit green . . . greener.
She interrupted him. "Don't do that. You knew I wanted you here."
Another aggravated harrumph came from the woman at the tabel.
Catching the two birthing specialists sharing a look, Sarek threw them one of his own that caused them to hurriedly excuse themselves.
"Finally," Came the shout from many people at the table.
Reaching across to a small touchpad, he slid one finger across the pressure-sensitive surface. The music that had filled the birthing chamber ceased.
"As you are aware, the Vulcan male is traditionally not present at the moment of delivery."
"It's what the Lady wants that you should be doing," The Scottsman spoke up for the first time.
She was not mollified. "Well, traditionally I'm the one giving birth.
"You tell him," Jim said with a wry smile, "actually Ny-," she glared, "Uhora," he hastily amended. "She kind of reminds me of you in a way."
"I must concur," his first officer backed him up while looking at her. She blushed and looked down.
I moved here, to another planet, to be with you. I need you to be with me today. Holding my hand and telling me I'm doing great even when I'm just - breathing the best I can."
For a long moment it was silent on the chamber save from the baby's burbling and soft crying. Then Sarek move as close to the bed as possible, as close to his wife as possible, and lowered his voice.
"You are correct. Our love has already proven itself stronger than tradition. I should have been here. I am sorry"
Spock broke off for a moment thinking of two conversations with his father. One in his adolescence and one in the midst of a great tragedy; both about his mother. He looked at the woman sitting next to him and took her by the hand, feeling the gentle thrum of her mind on the edge of his conciseness, anchoring him to the present. The corner of his lips turned upwards slightly. A deep breath and he began to read again.
The smile that broke out on her face was radiant. Using her free hand she pulled him to her, and they kissed. Together they contemplated the wonder they had brought into the world.
"Look - look at our boy. He's so beautiful…"
Spock's face turned roughly the color of a cellary stick when his girlfriend crooned and commented on how adorable baby Spock would have been.
A picture suddenly dropped onto the table in front of Nyota. Spock seeing the baby picture his girlfriend was holding quickly ripped it out of her hands and hid it with assurances he give it back later. Ignoring the looks from his captain and crew Spock kept reading.
"I had a thought," Sarek began.
"You often do." her smile widened.
Another set of chuckles.
Even for a human she was incorrigable, he thought fondly.
"Much like you," Spock murmured to his mate softly
"I thought we might name the child after one of our respected early society-builders. His name was Spock."
Regarding her striking newborn, Amanda pondered the suggestion until Sarek began to stir uneasily.
"Your silence does not suggest overwhelming enthusiasm"
"No …" she hesitated a moment longer and then her smile returned. Reaching out she lightly touched the baby's nose. "Spock. It's fine. It's a good name. 'Spock.'"
"The child has your eyes," her husband murmured lovingly.
Reaching over she carefully pulled aside the upper swaddling. One forefinger pushed the gently still curled ear until it unfurled like a tiny flower - a tiny flower that was pink and pointed.
"And your ears," she added affectionately.
Spock wordlessly passed the book to Jim with a look that coming from anyone else would be full of pity.
Jim's voice cracked halfway through the first sentence. "The U.S.S Kelvin was not alone."
AN #2) PLEASE READ! I'm going to be splitting the chapters by the events in the book and by events that might come up later (Frank, Tarsus, Joanna, ect.)
I know its been way too long, but it would mean a lot to me if you reviewed
