"Oh, that I could see your face again,

with the smile that lights Romulas and Remus.

I would give anything to see it,

break every rule, every code,

and throw all of my honor away.

I would gladly do so, to be in your arms again;

to be home again in the beauty of Romulas…"

-Aev Ralaa,

In the Romulan opera, "I Lata Arham Urri, E'Lev."

[To Death I Go, My Love]

"I've done far worse than kill you…

I've hurt you…

and I wish to go on hurting you."

-Khan Noonien Singh

2285

Prologue

The U.S.S. Enterprise (NCC-1701) limped slowly towards Earth to receive her much-needed repairs, having taken a heavy hit from the genetically engineered super human, Khan Noonien Singh. In the bridge of the Constitution-class vessel, Admiral James Tiberius Kirk sat the command chair.

Not his,he knew. Spock's.

The death of his former science officer and then-captain still ran through Kirk's mind, as it did for every single crew member aboard this ship.

Kirk would never forget those moments...

He rushed through the hallways of his ship upon noticing Spock's science station was empty. He trudged into the engine room, and made his way down one of the many ladders, and then he noticed Spock curled up across the floor of the ship's warp core. By instinct, Kirk took off toward the warp core's entrance in a futile effort to save his best friend. But he was, instead, stopped by the strong arms of Montgomery "Scotty" Scott and Leonard "Bones" McCoy.

"NO!" shouted Bones. "You'll flood the whole compartment!"

"He'll die…!" Kirk told them.

"Sir, he's dead already…" Scotty said.

"Spock!" Kirk knew nothing could be done. But Spock stood up and walked over to him with all the dignity and grace of a Starfleet officer…. and of a Vulcan.

"The ship...out of danger?" Spock asked.

"Yes." Kirk couldn't believe this was happening.

"Don't grieve, Admiral. It is logical. The needs of the many outweigh…"

"…the needs of the few…" It was really happening! And no power in the universe could Kirk use to stop it.

"…or the one. I never took the Kobayashi Maru test…until now. What do you think of my solution?" Logical to the end…but somehow still human…

"Spock…"

"I have been and always shall be your friend." Spock held up his hand in the Vulcan salute and said, "Live long and prosper." and with that he was gone forever…

"No…."

He remembered the funeral of the fallen officer:

In the mighty starship's torpedo bay the entire crew formed up at 0800 hours. While Lieutenant Saavik manned the torpedo firing control, Admiral Kirk entered with his former lover, Doctor Carol Marcus, and their son, David. Commander Uhura, Mr. Sulu, Scotty, Chekov and McCoy watched Kirk as he stood before the assembly of the Enterprise's crew.

He remembered giving the speech he'd hoped never to give:

"We have assembled here today," he began, "in accordance with Starfleet traditions, to pay final respects to one of our own. To honor our dead…" he paused for several minutes as grief began to hit him.

"And to grieve for a beloved comrade who gave his life in place of ours. He did not think his sacrifice a vain or empty one, and we cannot question his choice, in these proceedings."

Kirk noticed McCoy attempting to keep from breaking down. It failed, tears streaked down from his eyes remembering this fallen officer.

"He died in the shadow of a new world, a world he hoped to see, he lived just long enough to know it had come in to being."

There was another silent, yet sad pause.

"Of my friends, I can only say this: of all the souls I have encountered, his was the most-"Kirk searched for the proper term as he, too, was consumed with grief.

"Human…"

"Honors…hut!" Kirk heard his helmsman speak this solemnly.

Every crew member saluted as "Amazing Grace" echoed throughout the bay. The torpedo that withheld Spock's remains slowly coursed through the launch area. The dark coffin entered the launch tube. The launch tube shut.

The beautiful Vulcan Saavik nodded to the torpedo officer, who hesitantly hit the button that propelled Spock's coffin to the planet below.

Kirk would never be the same, as he remembered those moments; he noticed just how empty the bridge felt without Spock. He was sure every other officer knew this as well. He just couldn't sit in the command chair, not his, Spock's. He got out of the chair and then stared at the viewscreen into the stars. He waited as the U.S.S. Enterprise limped to Starbase One over Earth.