Balance
by Starsinger
This is based on the episode where we first meet the Romulans in the original series, "Balance of Terror". Those of you who know the episode will understand I hope. Those of you who don't, please don't break into my apartment, scatter catnip, and then let Nyisha and Trouble loose. I'd really appreciate it. Oh, this was the first time Mark Lenard, who would go on to play Sarek, Spock's father, would make an appearance as a Romulan Commander. Yes, a few modifications to a couple of characters are being made. That's my prerogative. Don't own them.
Chris smiled as he glanced down. Trouble and Trib 2 were making pests of themselves, as usual. No one minded. This was a happy occasion. They all turned as Jim cleared his throat, "If you'd all take your places, we are ready to begin, or so I've been told." Chuckles sounded throughout the room as everyone took their seats, except Trouble and Trib 2. Jim grinned as Lieutentant Roberta Tomlinson joined him at the podium. Jim winked.
Spock picked up the Vulcan Lyre and started to play a variation on the wedding march. It was funny, both wore command yellow in everyday life, but today, Angela Martine and Roberta Tomlinson both wore their dress grays. It was as if neither could agree who should wear white. As a concession, Angela wore a short white vail in her hair. Uhura had fixed both women's hair. "Meow?" Trouble asked. Everyone laughed.
"Well, I see the Best Cat has arrived," Jim said with a wide and genuine smile. Everyone laughed, "One of the few privileges granted a Starship Captain is the ability to marry two people who love each other. This is one of those days. Angela and Roberta met while the Enterprise was falling out of the sky toward Earth. The pitched battle apparently literally threw them into each other's arms. I'm told that they've been inseparable ever since," Jim looked on with genuine affection at the two women. "I'll make this short and sweet, we do have a party to get to. Roberta, do you take Angela to be your wife?"
"I do," Roberta replied.
"Angela, do you take Roberta to be your lawfully wife?" Jim asked.
"I do," Angela replied.
They said their heart felt vows, almost as if they still felt the ship plummeting beneath them. "Let's have the rings," Jim finally said. The two exchanged rings with wide smiles on their faces, "I now pronounce you married. Well, it's time for the kiss!" Jim's words were all the encouragement they needed as the two pressed lips.
"Well, Captain?" Roberta finally asked.
Jim opened his mouth to invite everyone to the party when the red alert siren went off. Jim looked disconcerted for a moment, "Well, we'll just have to party after this crisis is over."
Everyone exited the chapel as Chris looked around for Trouble and Trib 2. They scurried out the corridor, Trib in Trouble's mouth, and headed for the storage closet that held a specially designed pet enclosure. It was big enough to hold Admiral Archer's dog. It was also designed to seal if the area surrounding it suddenly depressurized leaving the occupants safe until they could be rescued. There was one on every deck and one in Sickbay, Pike's, Uhura's and Spock's quarters. All four animals had been trained to go in one by the simple expedient of holding practice drills. Every time one was held, someone would automatically make sure they went in one until they just did it without being prodded. Often, one cat or the other would pick up a tribble and carry it to the enclosure. They waited patiently until someone came along to let them out.
Down in Sickbay Dr. M'Benga too heard the claxon. He watched as Nyisha also picked a tribble up and carried it toward a linen closet where they would be safe. He smiled, wondering if this was another drill, or the real deal. The look on McCoy's face, however, when he hurried in told that this was no drill.
Spock, Chris, Uhura and a number of other people exited the turbolift. "Sir," Lieutenant Stiles announced, rising from the center seat. "Outpost 4 along the Romulan Neutral Zone, has sent out a distress call."
"On-screen," Jim commanded.
A flickering image filled the view in front of them as the Station Commander, Hanson, peered out at them. He was badly burned, "If anyone can hear me, please heed my call. We've been attacked by an unknown enemy. I'm the only one left alive."
"Jeff, can you hear me? It's Jim. Who's attacking you?" Kirk asked urgently.
"Jim, is that you?" Hanson asked. "I don't know. I'll turn the cameras so you can see what's happening." On the view screen ahead the crew saw a smallish vessel with a large, bird-like animal on its underside.
"Spock, do you recognize it?" Jim asked urgently.
Spock's face became even more unreadable, "From descriptions I've been given by my counterpart, my best guess would be a Romulan Bird-of-Prey."
"Jim, one more thing," Hanson's voice was shaking, "They came out of nowhere, we never saw them enter our space. It was like they just appeared from thin air, so to speak. They're firing!" were the last words Hanson uttered as his outpost blew up around him.
Jim's face became immobile, "Conference Room, ten minutes."
Jim turned toward the room before Uhura looked at him, "Captain, I've tapped into their radio frequencies. I think I can get us a look at them."
"Uhura, we know what they look like, remember the Narada?" Jim asked.
"Know thine enemy?" Uhura asked. Jim sighed and nodded. Another image flickered on the screen. This time was a striking man, bearing an uncanny resemblance to Spock's father, Sarek, and looking even more like Vulcans than did Nero.
"Fascinating," Spock whispered. Stiles looked at Spock's ears and eyebrows and looked back at the Romulans on the screen. Inside the conference room, Spock continued, "Almost a century ago, after a long a brutal war, the Neutral Zone was established to form a barrier between the Romulan Empire and the Federation. It is possible that the Empire is trying to establish weaknesses as a prelude to another war."
"And what side will you fall on if that happens, Spock?" Stiles sneered.
Jim stared at him as Spock replied, "With the Federation, of course, you assume that because we look alike, that we would think alike as well."
"Well, wouldn't you," Stiles asked belligerently.
Spock studied Stiles, "Romulans and Vulcans share a distant past. One where we shared Vulcan and warred constantly with each other. Romulans could not accept the teachings of Surak and his ways of peace and logic and left Vulcan long before we met with Earth. It is logical to believe that they have continued their ways of war and destruction. The Narada being an excellent example."
"To hell with your logic!" Stiles shouted. "I had family who died in that conflict a century ago. How am I supposed to believe you when you look just like them!"
"Lieutenant," Jim spoke, "I suggest you sit." Even Stiles had not realized he had risen. "I have served with Commander Spock for nearly two years now, and he has been nothing if not faithful to his peaceful philosophy, most of the time." Unspoken was the time he nearly killed Khan. "And he exhibited no demonstration of anger toward the Federation, even after Vulcan was destroyed. Why would he turn now?"
"May I be dismissed?" Stiles asked after visibly gaining control of his emotions.
Kirk nodded as Spock approached, "Captain, I do have one thing to say, though. We should probably destroy the Romulans before this goes any further. To leave them out here to destroy as they please would probably signal to the Praetor that the Federation is weak and ripe for another war." Jim nodded unpleasantly as the reentered the Bridge.
The next few hours were tense as the Enterprise hunted an enemy it could not see, but this enemy had one weakness, it needed to decloak in order to fire. It did. Jim returned fire, but in spite of shields, the Enterprise suffered damage. Jim ordered Stiles down the assist Tomlinson in waiting for a moment to fire at the Romulan ship when necessary. Hers being the only weapons console still working.
The ships exchanged fire again and Spock left the Bridge to assist Stiles and Tomlinson in finishing off the Romulan vessel. After tense moment the Romulan ship became more badly damaged than that of the Enterprise. Visual contact was reestablished briefly, the Romulan Commander snapped his head up to look upon the faces of his opponent, "I regret that we meet in this way. You and I are of a kind. In a different reality I could have called you friend."
"There's a power feedback building up, Captain," Sulu announced. "I think he means to blow up his ship."
"Get us out of here, Mr. Sulu," Kirk barked. The Enterprise barely got out of the way in time as the Romulan ship blew itself to smithereens. "Kirk to Spock, everything alright down there?"
Jim heard a soft sigh as Stiles answered, "Yes, and no, we've had a casualty, Captain."
Jim entered the chapel late that night. Trouble was still in there, having been released from her enclosure hours before. Angela held Trib 2 in one hand while entertaining Trouble with a stick with feathers on the end in the other. Trouble had no problems finding excitement as the wand waved itself around her. There had been several bumps and bruises, including Nyisha who had somehow managed to cut her paw, and was inconsolable until Spock had come down to pet her while Bones mended the hurt paw, and three casualties, Lieutenant Roberta Tomlinson, sadly, among them.
Jim sat down next to Angela, "I'm so sorry." What else could he say? What else was there to say?
Angela's too bright eyes met his, "Thank you, Captain. She was very brave."
"Yes, she was," Jim replied, reaching out to her.
"What am I going to do without her?" Jim had no answer as he reached out and pulled her into his arms. She sobbed like someone who had just lost her best friend and soul mate. In fact, she had. different reality, I could have called you friend,"