Spock was staring at his screens, PADDs, and internal mental probability calculations. He had surmised what had happened to their ship, finally.
They had been warped through a subspace-created wormhole which had opened up near an as of yet unknown sun.
They had then accidentally performed the slingshot effect.
Into an ion storm.
Into the past.
Of a possibly parallel universe.
Spock allowed himself a small sigh. Illogical though it was to think, only on the Enterprise…
Even Spock was beginning to suspect(however illogical it was, empirical evidence was not a thing to argue with)that the universe had some form of vendetta against the Enterprise. He compiled his reports for Jim to read and began to take the information to the cabin Jim occupied.
Spock keyed in the code for entry to find his Captain asleep at his desk, stray PADDs and data chips circling him in some form of make-shift nest.
Spock debated waking him up. The Captain needed to be kept appraised of the situation...but Jim needed to sleep. Spock allowed himself another, barely audible sigh before he shook his Captain gently awake.
"Captain, I have a report and summary of our situation."
Kirk yawned.
"Alright, let's hear it, Mr. Spock. Is this our time, or did someone violate the Prime Directive?"
"Unknown, we are in a past, whether or not it is our own we have yet to ascertain, sir. This is possibly the past of a parallel universe. One where our lives are a fictional story. Yet this story has continued beyond our own timeline and into our future. Considering how accurate the depiction of our...experiences with the Guardian of Forever were depicted, we must accept that any or all of the information present in these stories as an accurate depiction of our own futures."
"Which makes any information gathered extremely dangerous to us all."
"Exactly, sir."
Kirk pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed again. He was glad he had given a gag order to his senior officers before announcing the meeting adjourned. The more people involved in this the more likely this was all gonna blow up...much faster. Jim wouldn't delude himself, there was no way this was going to end in anything less than a massive cluster fuck.
"How far into our future does their story go?"
"Relatively far. Over a century into our own and then into alternate timelines...including the mirror universe we went into. Their story is still growing, in all directions across a variety of media. There is said to be several new installments that are upcoming in the future years."
"Years, what year is it for them?"
"Unknown as of yet, Captain, our instruments are still heavily damaged, we are at some point in the late 20th, or perhaps very early 21st century. They are involved with war though not on a global scale as of yet, and are uncontacted. However, many technologies that came from the imaginations of the writers from our story have been imitated, implemented and even improved upon. They have MRI machines, not as sophisticated as ours, theirs are still very large and limited to an entire room in a hospital. They even have begun making primitive touchscreens. Taken from the stories one hundred years into our own future."
Kirk turned and looked at Spock. These people had taken inspiration from the story of their lives and expanded science. Beyond some of the capabilities of the universe that had inspired them? Kirk knew of the development of touchscreens but they were still not a successful endeavor in his time. Yet still, in the age of such science, they still had wars on their tiny, insignificant rock of a planet.
"And yet they remain uncontacted?"
"They do not have Warp capabilities, they still believe this to be impossible."
Kirk snorted. "Man operated flight was impossible once, until suddenly it wasn't."
Spock nodded. Remembering the words of Kiri Kin Tha. Nothing unreal exists.
"They are attempting to make contact with other worlds. They send out signals and probes continually. Many have a very strong desire to meet other alien life forms. Many still believe that for whatever reason they are the only life in the galaxy. Many more are simply uninterested in finding that life. Either due to their focus on profit or due to xenophobia."
"These people, driven by profit though they may be should know that there is always more profit in progress than in war. War is the destruction of progress, life, and resources...goddamn miracle my race ever made it through their times."
"As you may recall Jim, many did not."
"Yes, Mr Spock, you're right. It's almost a shame our lives didn't influence them enough to stop all this. Even if it is a violation of the Prime Directive." Jim put his head in his hands, exhausted. He stood up and went to sit on his bunk. Spock walked over and sat next to him.
"We do not know that it does not, Jim. This may yet turn out to be a parallel universe. It does appear to have delayed their warring on a global scale. Other than the technology advances, inspired by the story of our lives, I cannot find any other difference between our culture and theirs. That story is not finished, we do not know that our story does not put an end to their struggle. If not early, then, at least with less damage done, and far less casualties."
"Though all could have been avoided if people had put aside their greed for more than two damn seconds, sat down, and spoke to one another like adults. Killing each other needlessly...they seem to be throwing large scale tantrums. Some other part of their own tiny, insignificant planet pissed off another, 'let's go to war!' like they don't even realise that these wars cost lives!" Kirk said in disgust. "There's a whole universe out there Spock, and these people are still wasting their time warring on their tiny little rock of a planet. They have a head-start that we didn't, some of their tech even exceeds ours, and they use it for large scale organized murder."
"Jim, we must let them grow in their own time, each of our cultures had their warring times, bloodsports and warrior mentalities. Our worlds, each of them grew and matured, and learned. Loss of life is a tragedy. But wars such as these, and the ones our cultures waged in their respective pasts were necessary for our culture's growth." Spock said gently. "We still do not know if this story does not end their war, many of our technologies have been replicated in their world, and a certain amount of our philosophy, if that continues to grow they may indeed reach peace much sooner than we did."
"...if we do not have to put an end to it. If this is an alternate universe, then we can let them be. If this is the past of our universe then we must destroy it and let the wars come and go."
Spock had no response. Kirk didn't expect one. There was nothing to say. Under no circumstances could the Prime Directive be violated, none. Even if it made their future a better place, they could never live in it. They could never exist outside of time like that.
Kirk leaned on Spock's side, reaching on arm up around to stroke the tapered point of his ear. Spock had initially noted that for some reason Kirk had found this activity calming, and thus allowed it. Kirk turned and began nuzzling and kissing Spock's jaw as he straddled his hips. Jim was never one for subtlety.
"Captain-"
"Jim."
"Jim, you are exhausted. While I am not opposed to spending our time in this manner, as your First Officer it is my duty to ensure-"
"Later Spock, this'll help me sleep. Please,I want to feel, closer to you right now."
Spock knew from experience that Kirk's logic was infallible on this particular point. And thus he simply ceased resisting. He felt his lips twitch. Just before he flipped Jim by his knees and onto his back. Jim laughed at the sudden movement. I would have been frightening if Jim didn't know Spock would never cause him harm.
He flt himself jerk and then melt as Spock nipped at his lips, trailing down to his throat.
Jim was sure everything was going to end up alright. He had Spock, he knew that everything would be okay.
It's not like they had to beam down to the planet or anything
"Cap'n, we have no choice but tae beam down to the planet."
FUCK.