Chapter 6: Research, Lifeforms and Vulcans

U.S.S. Grissom

Genesis Planet

The Grissom was an Oberth-class starship under the command of Captain Jonathan T. Esteban. It was compact, with minimal weaponry, and strictly a science vessel less than two-thirds the size of a Constitution-class saucer. The ship flew towards Genesis at barely one-half impulse.

In the bridge of the Grissom, Lieutenant Saavik spoke up from her station, with David Marcus beside her.

"We have reached the destination planet at point zero-three-five."

"Very well, lieutenant," said Esteban. "Helm, execute standard orbital approach."

"Standard orbit, aye sir," said the female helm officer.

Saavik heard him call out to communications.

"Send a coded message for Starfleet command, priority one," he said, tugging at his uniform. "Arriving, Genesis Planet, Mutara Sector, to begin research, J.T. Esteban commanding."

"Aye sir, coding now."

She noticed Esteban was now facing David, "Doctor Marcus, your planet," he said happily.

David maintained a calm, yet excited manner as he addressed Saavik, "Begin scanning, please," and looked over at the science console.

"This is where the fun begins, Saavik."

She hit a few buttons on the console to bring up the map of Genesis.

"Just like your father, so human," she quipped rather dryly as David walked to a different station.

"All units functional, recorders are on. Scanning sector one."

The map of Genesis appeared on the console, starting with sector one,

VEGETATION: NORMAL

"The foliage is in a fully-developed state of growth," she noticed.

TEMPERATURE 22.2 CELSIUS

She heard David speak up, "Sector two indicating desert terrain, minimal vegetation, and temperature: 39.4.

"Sector three," Saavik continued, "Sub-tropical vegetation."

She noticed something odd, "Temperature decreasing rapidly…"

David appeared by her in a second, clearly fascinated by this anomaly.

"It's snow," he surmised. "Snow in the same sector! Fantastic."

"Fascinating."

"All of the varieties of land and weather known to earth within a few hours' walking!" David excitedly spoke.

The conversation was quickly terminated by a small alarm.

Saavik noticed a blip on the radar.

"Metallic mass," she said.

"Close-range scan," David ordered. Captain Esteban appeared a few seconds later.

Spock's burial tube, Saavik thought to herself.

"Photon tube. Gravitational fields were in-flux, it must've soft-landed," David said, looking toward Captain Esteban.

"Encode to Starfleet," the captain ordered, "Captain Spock's tube located on Genesis surface."

"Yes sir, coding your message" said the communications officer.

The console began to emit a loud alarm sound.

LIFEFORM, the console now showed.

"I don't believe it," Saavik heard from David.

"What is it?" asked Esteban.

"If equipment is functioning properly," Saavik began, "indications are…an animal life-form."

"You said there wouldn't be any," Esteban said.

"There shouldn't be any," David.

Saavik began working at a faster pace. "Cross-reference to verify…an unidentifiable life-form reading."

"Do you wish to advise Starfleet, sir?" The comm officer called out.

"Wait a minute," Esteban cut him off, "we don't know what we're talking about here," he continued as he returned to the center chair.

David threw in, "Why don't we beam it up."

Esteban grinned, "Oh, no you don't. Regulations specifically state, nothing shall be beamed aboard until danger of contamination has been eliminated."

Desperation fueled Saavik as she said, "Captain, the logical alternative is obvious. Beaming down to the surface is permitted."

"If the captain decides that the mission is vital and reasonably free of danger," Esteban added with his by-the-book demeanor.

"Captain, please!" David pleaded. "We'll take the risk, but we've got to find out what it is!"

"Or who?"

The alarm indicator continued to go off on the console, and still, Saavik noticed, there was no way to get Captain Esteban to listen to reason.

She thought of Spock for a moment.

I wish you could be here right now, Captain…

Admiral Kirk's Apartment

San Francisco, CA

James T. Kirk's apartment was surprisingly fancy. Located atop a tall skyscraper, with

Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge clearly visible, and filled with various antiques, among them, different types of firearms from the 18th and 19th centuries. Kirk always enjoyed collecting old-earth antiques. His collection was the last thing on his mind now, however, as him, McCoy, Sulu, Chekov, and Uhura raised their drink glasses in the air solemnly. Scotty was currently in Scotland with his family.

"Absent friends," he said, and then they all joined the glasses together briefly before drinking.

"Is Scotty coming tonight?" asked Uhura.

"I talked to him earlier today. They had Peter's funeral, and he said he might be able to make it here tonight." Kirk replied. He didn't bother to mention Scotty was having trouble explaining to Peter's mother, Fran, what had happened. And Peter's sister, Dannan, was also giving Scotty a hard time about the whole thing.

"Admiral, what is going to happen to the Enterprise," Sulu asked uncertainly.

Kirk felt a wave of remorse as he answered, "She is to be decommissioned."

"Vill ve get another ship?" asked Chekov.

Is there a "we" anymore? Kirk wondered. Spock was dead, Scotty was now assigned to the Excelsior, and Doctor Chapel had taken an assignment at Starfleet Headquarters.

"I can't get an answer," was all Kirk said. Not even Sulu was assigned to another ship, Kirk reflected. And I will probably be faced with a desk job again. The thought made Kirk shudder. He was meant to command a ship, not sit behind a desk. As an old-earth student might put it, the lack of Starship command sucked.

"Starfleet is up to its brass in galactic conference; no one has time for those who stand and wait."

McCoy remained silent after draining his glass.

Finally, Kirk said, "Bones, I notice you you've been quiet all evening."

His face remained stoic. "To celebrate a loved one's death is illogical."

Silence overcame the entire crowd. Kirk and everyone else stared at McCoy, perplexed.

What? Illogical?

"What did you say, Bones?!"

McCoy blinked and shrugged. "What did I say?"

"Illogical!" Kirk raised his voice, confused.

"No, I didn't," McCoy said, his tone laced with confusion.

"Yes, you did!"

"Dammit, Jim, I did not!"

What's gotten into you, Bones? First you break into Spock's cabin, now you're speaking like him!

Kirk tried to talk some sense into his physician.

"Bones, what has gotten into you lately? Ever since Spock died, you've been borderline obsessive over it! Where do you get off speaking like a Vulcan?"

Bones appeared angry, his voice rose.

"I'll have you know I simply miss Spock as much as the rest of you," he shouted, gesturing to the remaining crew before heading toward the turbolift.

For a moment, Kirk could have sworn he heard McCoy mumbling to himself.

"Climb the steps of Mount Seleya, dammit!"

Jim heard this and immediately took back what he said, desperate.

"Bones! BONES!"

Before he could talk any sense into his physician, his door shut.

As McCoy walked towards a nearby lift, all he could think about was how he just talked to his superior.

Did I really say what he thought? Illogical…? Climb the steps of Mount Seleya?

He wondered what was going on his mind. Why? He asked himself.

Why did I talk about Mount Seleya; about illogic?

The opening lift doors interrupted his train of thought.

As he entered, the second turbolift's doors opened. As the door closed on McCoy's turbolift, a tall hooded figure in brown robes walked out of the other turbolift and headed towards Kirk's apartment.

Kirk wondered what just went on, and looked over at his crew for clarification.

"Have any of you noticed how differently Bones has behaved lately?"
Chekov offered some insight. "Is it possible he is just…so dewastated over Keptin Spock's death that," the Russian faltered, "Impersonating him might ease the pain?"

"Impossible, Mister Chekov, Bones is not the type to bury his pain."

Chekov shrugged. Kirk noticed a change in his behavior, too; albeit much more subtle. He wonder if his security chief still felt that he let him down after Khan manipulated him with that grotesque Ceti Eel.

"Admiral," Sulu intervened, "perhaps it would be best to review any recordings you have in engineering following this dreadful incident. It is possible something happened even before Spock entered the warp core section. He may have done more than simply incapacitated Doctor McCoy."

Kirk pondered, "Quite right, Mister Sulu." He almost said Captain, but quickly bit it back.

His helmsman had essentially been snubbed from a command, and therefore temporarily deprived of that rank.

"I will review any recordings…"

The chime of the doorbell cut him off.

"Ah, mister Scott."

Kirk walked towards the door, full glass in one hand, prepared to hand it to hid engineer.

"Come," he offered.

When the doors parted, it was not Scott that appeared, but an elderly, hooded figure.

Kirk watched the figure remove his hood to reveal his full facial expression and pointed ears.

He was face-to-face with Spock's father.

"Sarek!

Sarek remained silent and expressionless as he walked towards Kirk with dignity.

"Ambassador, I had no idea you were here," Kirk said, surprised.

"I believe you know my crew." He gestured to Uhura, Chekov, and Sulu, whom all appeared as surprised as Kirk felt.

"I will speak with you alone, Kirk," the ambassador said; Kirk was certain he could detect a trace of grief in his voice.

"Please excuse us."

Kirk watched Sarek walk towards the fireplace and remove his robe.

His crew slowly departed.

"Ambassador, I would've come to Vulcan, to express my deepest sympathies. How's Amanda?"

Sarek turned to face Kirk, his voice raising.

"She is human, so she's in mourning. The loss of Spock as affected her greatly."

"I'm very sadden…"

"Spare me your human platitudes, Kirk. I have been to your government; I have seen the Genesis information, and your own report."

Kirk lowered his head slightly and solemnly.

"Then you know how bravely your son met his death."

"Why did you leave him on Genesis?"
First my physician, now Sarek, Kirk thought.

"Spock trusted you," the ambassador went on, "and you denied him his future."

"I saw no future…"

"Only his body was in death, Kirk, and you were the last one to be with him."

"Yes, I was," Kirk admitted, not wanting to discuss the incident.

"Then you must know you should have come with him to Vulcan."

"But why?"

"Because he asked you to! He entrusted you with his very essence. With everything that was not of the body. He asked you to bring him to us, and to bring that which he gave you…his Katra, his living spirit."

Kirk turned away from Sarek.

"Sir," he paused, putting down his drink glass, "your son meant more to me than you can know."

He walked past his antique weaponry.

"I'd have given my life, if it would've saved his."

Sarek waited for him to continue.

"Believe me when I tell you he made no request of me."

"He would not have spoken of it openly."

"Then how-"

"Kirk," Sarek cut him off, "I must have your thoughts."

Kirk knew where this was going now; a mind meld.

"May I join your mind?"

Kirk stood in silence for a few minutes.

This could be the key to everything.

He nodded, "Certainly."

Kirk sat down in the nearest seat, and Sarek took the one in front.

The ambassador raised his hand up to Kirk's face, his fingers connecting to the Katra spots.

Kirk reflected on the first time he had mind-melded with Sarek, when he was only thirteen years old on the planet Tarsus IV.

Kirk shut his eyes as the meld began.

In his mind, Kirk was no longer in his apartment.

He was back in the middle of a crowd on Tarsus IV…

He was on the simulator bridge cheating his way past the Kobayashi Maru…

He was sharing an intimate kiss with Carol…

He was sitting in his chair on the U.S.S. Farragut, hesitating to fire on the Dikironium cloud creature…

He was accepting command of the Enterprise from Captain Pike and meeting Spock for the first time…

He was firing his phaser rifle at rock face, killing Gary Mitchell.

He was watching Edith Keeler, haloed in the lights of an old-time automobile, rammed in the streets of 1930's Chicago…

NO! I cannot witness these things again! Gary! Edith!

Kirk, you must focus, do not fight this…please.

Focus, focus, focus…focus…

He was returning to Earth at the end of his five year mission as captain of the Enterprise.

He was watching Willard Decker join with the probe V'ger...

He was back in the engineering section of the Enterprise. He found himself leaning against the transparent aluminum that separated him from the mortally-wounded form of Spock, dying from radiation poisoning.

"He spoke of your friendship," Sarek said, more of a statement than a question.

Each time Spock said something, it was not his voice, but rather, the voice of Sarek.

"Yes."

"Asked you not to grieve."

"Yes."

"The needs of the many…" Sarek's voice and Spock's mouth both began "outweigh…"

It was Kirk's turn.

"The needs of the few."

"Or the one."

"Spock."

"I have been, and always shall be…your friend."

Again, Kirk visualized Spock pressing his hand against the window; the Vulcan salute displayed.

"Live long, and prosper."

No…

And then Spock and the engineering section disappeared from Kirk's vision…

Sarek terminated the meld ever slowly, raising his hand away from Kirk's face.

The meld had no harmful effects, Sarek noticed. But he could find no answer.

"Forgive me," he said, "it is not here," Sarek said.

"I had assumed he mind-melded with you."

Spock would not have melded with anyone else, Sarek thought to himself.

"It is the Vulcan way, when the body's end is near."

"We were separated," the admiral said grimly. "He couldn't touch me."

"I see."

Sarek could not grieve; it was not the Vulcan way. But he imagined he would, had he been human.

"Then everything that he was; everything he knew, is lost."

Sarek stood up, his robe in hand, and started towards the exit. His stoic attitude didn't fool Kirk for a moment. He knew Sarek was extremely saddened by Spock's death. He had seen it in Sarek's mind during the meld.

"Please wait," admiral Kirk said anxiously.

Sarek would hear him out.

"He would have found a way! If there was that much at stake, Spock would have found a way."

"Yes," Sarek said, raising an eyebrow, "but how?"

Admiral Kirk stood up, "What if he joined with someone else?"

Fascinating, thought Sarek.