KHwhitelion: Yeah, I did! I never thought I'd kill him off in a fic, but he sort of lives on through Sylar in this one, so it's semi-okay. lol
Andrina Sparda: So glad you like it, and I hope you forgive me for killing Spock. lol :D
FireChildSlytherin5: Always good to see someone from the same House ;) Thanks for the review!
Mark: thank you :) And yes, they would clog the warp nacelles. Or something like that. Who knows. :P
xx
May 2258
San Francisco, California
xx
"It's weird as hell, Jim," Bones said, as they strolled across the lawn.
Kirk tossed the apple he was carrying into the air and caught it. Threw it again, caught it. "What is?"
"The patient I told you about."
"Right. The one your hands miraculously cured."
"Dammit, Jim, it's not funny!" He yanked Kirk's apple out of midair. "I'm telling the truth!"
"So you think you have some sort of healing powers."
"Yeah," muttered Bones. "I mean, I guess. I don't know."
"Are you sure someone else didn't give him some new miracle medicine or something?"
Bones shook his head. "He was my patient. Besides, it wasn't a gradual recovery. I just put my hand on his shoulder—trying to reassure him—and all of a sudden, the goddamn wound healed. Literally healed itself, right in front of my eyes."
"Okay, so maybe you're the Second Coming. All hail Jesus McCoy."
Bones rolled his eyes. "Christ, Jim."
He grinned. "Exactly."
They pushed through the large glass doors, Bones still shaking his head, and took their places on the "bridge."
"No real pilot?" Bones demanded, taking note of the engineer in his place.
"Testing," replied Uhura. "They couldn't test on Tuesday because of the eclipse, so they're doing it today."
Kirk clapped his hands together. "Let's get this show on the road," he said flippantly, sitting down in the captain's chair. "Bones, give me my apple back."
Sylar, who was still masquerading as Spock, stood in the observation area next to Pike. "Captain," he said, "are you certain that this cadet is serious about the examination?"
"Don't worry about it, Spock," came Pike's reply. "Overconfidence is just his defense mechanism."
Moments later, Pike found himself agreeing with the Vulcan as Kirk kicked back in the captain's chair, munching on his apple and pointing his finger at the viewscreen like a gun. "How'd that guy beat your test?" he demanded.
Sylar was baffled. "I do not know."
xx
Later that night, as Sylar mechanically checked and re-checked the programming of the Kobayashi Maru test, Leonard McCoy sat in his quarters, staring at a phone number.
When he was younger, his maternal grandfather had always been something of a joke to the family—he claimed he had the ability to dream the future. His ancestors, he said, were evolved humans who had survived the American Holocaust—but everyone knew there had been no survivors. The infamous Cole administration, and the string of tyrants after, had seen to that.
His mother had always told him to humor his grandpa and listen to the stories, but disregard them. Now he wasn't so sure he should.
Picking up the phone, he dialed the number.
"Hello?"
"Grandpa Ben? It's Leonard."
He laughed like an Italian and spoke like a New Yorker. "Leonard! God damn, it's been a long time. I was afraid I'd be a dead man before you called again. How's Starfleet?"
"It's good," replied Bones. "How's the new place?"
"It's a goddamn nursing home," came the brusque reply. "Pretty nurses though. You oughta get your ass over here and visit once in a while—maybe you could pick one up." He chuckled.
"Thanks, Grandpa, but I'm staying away from women for a while."
"Ah, forget about the bitch," came Ben's advice. "Not all women are demons."
"I know. That's not what I called about though. I…" He trailed off.
"What is it? Spit it out."
"I was wondering about your dreams. Do you still have them?"
"Damn straight I do. Just last night I dreamed that the guy across the hall was gonna kick the bucket. Poor old bastard—died after breakfast this morning."
"Something's happening to me," Bones told him, his words coming out in a rush. "Yesterday, I clapped one of my patients on the shoulder to tell him he'd be alright in a week or so. He had a phaser wound. And just like that, the goddamn thing vanished."
"It's in your blood," Ben responded. "Sometimes it skips a generation, which is probably why your ma didn't believe me, but these abilities are a part of our family—my dad, my grandpa, all the way back to my fifth great-grandpa, who was a hero in the days before the war. A martyr, really. Got offed by some crazy serial killer, but distracted him long enough to save his wife and son."
Bones remembered the story. "So, you're saying I have the power to heal people."
"Looks like you went in to the right profession, kid."
Bones smiled.
"Well, hey—I gotta wheel down to the cafeteria and catch supper. Don't be a stranger."
"Next time I get a few days off," Bones promised.
After he hung up the phone, he went immediately to the medical complex. T'Lei, a young Vulcan orphan, lay asleep. He gazed at the machines she was hooked to. None of the doctors could figure out what was wrong with her.
Quietly, he lifted her hand and held it in his. Not sure what the method was, he simply willed her malady to heal. Then, one by one, he slipped the IVs from her skin and took away the oxygen mask.
The heart monitor beeped steadily.
xx
"This session has been called to resolve a troubling matter." The thick, urgent voice of Admiral Barnett traveled through the room. "James T. Kirk, step forward."
Bones and Kirk exchanged a look, and the latter approached one of the two podiums.
"Cadet Kirk," continued the Admiral, "evidence has been submitted to this council suggesting that you violated the ethical code of conduct pursuant to regulation 17.43 of the Starfleet code. Is there anything you care to say before we begin, sir?"
"Yes, I believe I have the right to face my accuser directly?"
A pale, severe-looking Vulcan stood up and straightened his uniform.
"Step forward, please."
He did so. Kirk watched him, fixing his own gaze on the dark eyes, communicating his lack of intimidation.
"This is Commander Spock," said Admiral Barnett. "He is one of our most distinguished graduates. He's programmed the Kobayashi Maru exam for the last four years."
"Cadet Kirk," Sylar began, his voice calm and measured, "you somehow managed to install and activate a subroutine in the programming code thereby changing the conditions of the test."
"Your point being?"
"In academic vernacular," Admiral Barnett said dryly, "you cheated."
For a moment, Sylar felt his mind wander; there was someone in the room with an ability. He could sense it. The hunger swelled—then Kirk's voice snapped him back to the matter at hand.
"Then let me ask you something—I think we all know the answer to— the test itself is a cheat, isn't it? I mean, you programmed it to be unwinnable."
"Your argument precludes the possibility of a no-win scenario," replied Sylar.
A little smile appeared on Kirk's lips. "I don't believe in no-win scenarios."
"Then not only did you violate the rules," said Sylar, a note of disdain in his voice, "you also failed to understand the principle lesson."
"Please," Kirk said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Enlighten me."
"You of all people should know, Cadet Kirk—a captain cannot cheat death."
A murmur rippled through the crowd of cadets.
"Is it just me," Gaila whispered to Uhura, "or is that Vulcan getting kind of—emotional?"
"He's half-human," Uhura replied defensively.
Meanwhile, Kirk let out a little snort. "I of all people."
"Your father," Sylar continued. "Lieutenant George Kirk assumed control of his vessel before being killed in action, did he not?"
"I don't think you like the fact that I beat your test," Kirk accused, staring him down.
"Furthermore," he pressed, "you have failed to divine the purpose of the test."
"Enlighten me again."
"The purpose is to experience fear," he said pointedly—and as he said it, fire surged through his veins. He felt the urge to terrorize this man. Exploit his weaknesses and tear him down, bit by bit. "Fear in the face of certain death. To accept that fear, and maintain control of oneself and one's crew. This is a quality expected in every Starfleet captain."
Kirk had a sharp reply on the tip of his tongue, but was interrupted by an officer hurrying in to hand a PADD to the Admiral.
"We've received a distress call from Vulcan," Admiral Barnett announced. "With our primary fleet engaged in the Laurentian system, I hereby order all cadets to report to Hangar One immediately. Dismissed."
As the cadets hurried out of the room, Bones came to Kirk's side.
"Who was that pointy-eared bastard?" Kirk demanded.
"I don't know," Bones replied, "but I like him."