Star Trek XIV – Tomorrow is Now

Epilogue

Stardate 2265.47

Team Genesis was one of the many groups of physicists and engineers working at the starbase 25-Alpha on one of Starfleet's top secret projects. Given the delicate and potentially dangerous nature of the device they were developing, this specific team had been assigned the most remote laboratory in the whole complex.

Not that they complained, most of the members liked the peace and quiet it offered and their leader was no different. In her case, she had other, more private reasons to prefer the isolation but nobody knew that.

'Dr Kirk,' an old man called out, making her lift her heterochromatic eyes from the report she was reading.

'Yes?' she said trying not to look startled for, even after nearly three years, she still wasn't used to the name she had made up for herself. She guessed it was the price she had to pay in order not to be found.

'How is it?' the physicist asked.

'I still have to run one more test,' the doctor replied, 'but I think it's looking good.'

'Perfect,' he said, 'I come bearing good news too,' he added and, without letting her ask, he dropped a PADD right on top of the one she was reading, 'they took those just a few minutes ago, check them out.'

Taking the tablet in her hands, Carol checked the images it showed and they managed to bring a smile to her lips: the previously barren asteroid was clearly starting to form its own, albeit weak, atmosphere.

'We've found musk on the rocks,' he said looking like a proud mother, 'and little leaved plants too.'

'Plants?' she asked placing the PADD back on her desk.

'That's right,' the old man said, 'Lizzy, the machine you built is working as designed. I know you want to run some more tests but, I'm telling you, those Vulcans will be very pleased when they see it.'

'Pleased isn't the word I'd use,' Carol said, 'not when talking about Vulcans.'

'You're probably right,' he conceded, 'in any case, it's late, why don't you go home?'

'In a minute,' she said, 'I just want to finish reading this and then I'll set up the last test.'

'Good,' the physicist said, 'I'm off now, make sure you lock everything up.'

'I will,' she promised with a smile. The man really behaved like if he was her father…

The thought surprised her and she found herself closing her eyes, trying hard not to think of the terrible way in which she lost hers. It was pointless though, the picture of Khan crushing her father's skull would remain imprinted in her mind forever. Shaking the image off, she returned her attention to the report.

Three hours later, she arrived at her apartment. It wasn't big but it was comfortable enough, plus, it was close to the outpost facilities like the supermarket, medical and recreational centres. Also, it was quiet.

'Carol?' she heard her aunt's voice calling her out.

Panicking, she hurried to get inside, nervously checking if anyone had overheard the name.

'Oh come on, child,' the older woman said, 'there's no need to be paranoid.'

'Aunt Martha,' she replied feeling a little upset, 'I've told you we need to be careful.'

'Why?' Martha wanted to know.

'You know why,' Carol replied dryly.

'Yes,' her aunt confirmed, 'and I also know that this specific problem has a very easy solution.'

'No,' Carol insisted, 'and I don't want to talk about it anymore.'

'But…'

'How was he today?' she asked her instead.

'Jimmy's fine,' Martha replied sounding a little miffed, 'his fever is almost gone, like I said it would.'

'I know,' she said, 'it's just that…we're so far away and…'

'And this is not the place for a two year old boy,' Martha said looking like she was ready to start again.

'Aunt Martha, please,' she begged, 'I already feel bad about this, you don't need to make it worst.'

'Me?' the woman asked sounding highly sarcastic, 'you're the one who's making it worst, every day that goes by and that you don't tell his father of his existence it makes it worst. I just…'

'Stop it!' she exclaimed now sounding definitely upset.

'Don't use that tone with me, young lady,' she warned her, 'I promised your mother I would look out for you and I know I was absent in the worst possible time but I am here now and I want to make sure you don't make a mistake that you'll regret.'

'I…'

'You know that your mother and I grew up without a father,' she continued as if Carol hadn't interrupted her, 'and it wasn't easy for our mother. This is why yours insisted you spent time with your father, even though she hated the man with a passion. Furthermore,' she added, 'Captain James T Kirk is a hero of the Federation, he's saved entire planets more than once and, wasn't he instrumental in the peace treaty with the Romulans?'

'Yes, he was,' Carol was forced to admit.

'Then what did he do to you?' Aunt Martha asked her for the millionth time that year.

'Nothing!' she exclaimed, 'he didn't do a single thing.'

'Then, I must be stupid,' the older woman said, 'because I just don't understand you at all.'

'I…' she started then, she closed her mouth and, shaking her head, she said, 'sometimes I don't understand myself. I just know I can't let Jim know about our son. I'm sorry if this upsets you but, I can't.'

Aunt Martha stared at her for a few moments then she placed her hand on top of Carol's shoulder and said:

'Okay, I understand.'

Carol looked at her, marvelling again about how alike the two of them looked.

'Thank you,' she said smiling sadly, 'now, if you don't mind, I'll go and check on Jimmy.'

'Sure,' the woman said, 'listen,' she then added as if she'd had an afterthought, 'how did the tests go?'

'It's nearly ready,' Carol replied happy they had left a most painful topic behind, 'but we're having a bit of trouble finding a suitable transport to take the device to New Vulcan. You know, we can't use a civilian cargo because it's too dangerous, but all military ships that come anywhere near us go either to Romulus or directly back to Earth and those that don't do that, they make several stops along the way.'

'I know,' the woman commented, 'I did seven of them to come here when you called me.'

'Yeah,' Carol said, 'I was worried that you would just turn round and tell me it wasn't worth the trouble.'

'And not meet my only grandnephew?' the woman rhetorically asked, 'I wouldn't have missed that even if I had had to travel to the other end of the universe. In any case,' she said, 'I still have some contacts in Starfleet from when your mother and I served, if you want, I could try to see if any of them can help.'

'Really?' Carol asked her already looking grateful.

'I can't promise you anything, child,' she replied, 'but I'll do my best.'

'Thank you,' she said nevertheless.

'Now, go and see your son,' Martha ordered her, 'he's been calling you all day but, to be honest, ever since he learned how to say "mummy", that's pretty much all he says so you never know for sure.'

'I'll go now, just in case,' Carol said grinning a little.

The older woman returned the smile and then, as the doctor went to see her beautiful blond, blue eyed little angel, she walked purposely to her room, sitting in front of her communicator. There, she pressed the button that would connect her with the nearest relay point and, after talking to someone there, they patched her through with an office in Starfleet HQ in San Francisco.

'Martha Wallace,' an Admiral around her same age exclaimed, 'what a surprise!''

'Hello Trevor,' she replied offering him a smile, 'it's been a very long time, hasn't it?'

The balding man lost his and nodding once, he said:

'Yes, since your sister's funeral, if I'm not mistaken.'

'Yeah,' Martha said choosing not to go anywhere near the subject, 'I know it's been a long time but…'

'What can I do for you?' the man asked her without letting her finish.

'I would need you to do me a favour,' Martha asked him.

'I'll do what I can, you know that,' the man replied.

'I'm currently staying with my niece and grandnephew at the Starbase 25-Alpha and she's having quite a lot of trouble finding transportation for her project,' she explained, 'say, is there any chance you could send a ship here so that she can get a lift to New Vulcan?'

'Let me see,' he said checking something on a screen, 'the USS Missouri is nearby.'

'I had a different ship in mind…' she said using the significant amount of charm she still possessed.

'Which one?' the Admiral asked.

'The Enterprise,' Aunt Martha replied all-too-casually, 'I know they're due to return from their five-year mission soon. Perhaps you can get them to do a little detour.'

'I'll do my best,' the Admiral promised her.

'Oh, I know you'll do just fine,' she replied.

A few moments after, Martha closed the call and, staring at a picture of her baby sister, she said:

'Don't worry: your grandson will not grow up without his father, I promise you that.'

CONTINUES in Star Trek XV – Now and Forever