10

When they reached Zeta Tarandi at last, James Kirk and the bridge-crew of the Enterprise carried Captain Pike's body off the shuttle as they had on Earth, this time without the pod. As they set foot on Zeta Tarandi, James took note of the Vulcan Council gathered nearby to welcome them to the colony world. He saw Sakar and Sarek gathered with David, Amanda, and Leiani off to one side just a little apart from the Vulcan Council. The Council knew they were coming and why. The refugees the Enterprise had carried from Earth had been transported off the ship as soon as they had arrived, giving James and Spock time to finish up shipboard before transporting the former Captain's body to the surface by shuttle. A cluster of white-clad acolytes stood nearby with the surviving priests and priestesses of Mount Seleya, and it was to them that James and his command crew surrendered their former Captain. Final burial arrangements would be made and at sunset, they would give Captain Pike a formal Vulcan burial such as they could afford him.

He gave his crew the freedom to stay on Zeta Tarandi or return to the Enterprise as they wished. All of them except Bones returned to the ship. The Vulcan Council dispatched Bones to the makeshift medical centers to do what he could for the sick and wounded, and James knew his friend was eager to do some good, save a few lives, and pass on some wisdom as well as gain some. Once everyone else had gone their own ways, James and Spock were left with their families. Words were unnecessary, for what could they say that would have any meaning? After a while, James went off on his own to find a resource that would give him a full listing of the casualties. Six billion people had called Vulcan home, of that number ten thousand survived. The sheer number of deaths was staggering and taking a PADD containing all of the names of the deceased, James left the village in search of a quiet place where he could mourn in peace. There was one name in particular he was interested in. Entering the data, he waited. It came back as he had thought it would. T'Pring, Spock's promised, had not survived. Then, in his reading, he came across another name he had never expected to see on a list of deceased.

T'Paria, daughter of Xonn and Seleia: Deceased. Survived by parents and siblings Mirea, Solek, and T'Anir.

James looked up, stunned. T'Paria had been one of his best friends besides Spock! Was she really dead? No, that couldn't be right! Panic seized hold and he forgot how to breathe. Staggering a few paces, James fell to his knees. T'Paria's name echoed across the landscape as it echoed in his mind, crossing the bond he had with Spock, and he succumbed. It didn't take long for someone to discover him there and revive him.

Spock was reading when he suddenly heard James Kirk's voice. It took him a minute to realize it was an echo, not an actual summons. He listened more carefully and realized what had happened to his brother as he heard a single name over and over before everything was silenced. Getting to his feet, Spock left the house and started to run, ignoring the queries of his parents, of James's parents, of Sakar. He followed James's trail with great ease and found his brother lying on the ground beneath a tree, clearly unconscious but otherwise unhurt. By his hand lay a PADD, the screen glowing. Spock approached cautiously and scooped up the PADD, looking around for any signs of an attack. Nothing. Kneeling beside James, he touched the side of his brother's face. He was unhurt, just overwhelmed. Instead of risking a mind-meld against James's wishes, Spock looked at the PADD and saw the information displayed on the glowing screen. It was a list of the deceased Vulcans, and a single name had been isolated. T'Paria, daughter of Xonn and Seleia, was among those who had perished. Hers had been a more recent death, it seemed, for she was survived by her parents and three siblings. Spock cleared the screen and reached over, rousing James with a touch.

"Solen?"

"She's dead, Spock." James rolled onto his back and looked at Spock with hollow eyes, "I didn't even think about her until I started reading that list." Spock took his brother's hand and leaned down until their forehead's touched, wishing he could take away this pain.

"Come, Solen. We will visit her family and give our condolences. They would want to see you." He coaxed his brother to his feet and led the way back to the village. Finding Xonn and Seleia was easy enough, and they were most welcoming towards James. They gave him several articles belonging to T'Paria so that he would remember her, and promised to come to the interment service later that day.

"Thank you, Xonn." James said faintly, "I would like that." Spock knew it would mean a great deal if they came to Captain Pike's burial. After leaving the house, James said very little, though he accepted the physical contact Spock offered him by taking his hand, which was a good sign. He wouldn't force James to talk about the recent deaths, it wasn't his way. It wasn't their way.

I'm here, brother. He thought to himself, If you need me, I'm here for you.

After seeing the refugees settled on Zeta Tarandi and laying Captain Pike to rest, James took the Enterprise on a brief mission to do scientific research on a nearby system. After a month in the Zemandi system, they were recalled home. As they departed the system, sensors detected another ship just emerging from warp. James ordered evasive maneuvers, the ship was coming out right in front of the Enterprise and a collision was a sure outcome if one of them didn't move. They narrowly avoided colliding with the vessel, and as they cleared the safety zone, he ordered Uhura to hail the ship on all frequencies. He had Sulu bring them about to get another look at the vessel and as they made a pass, he was glad to be sitting down.

"Oh my god!" he looked over his shoulder at Spock, "It's a Vulcan ship!"

"Survivors, perhaps?"

"I have no idea! Uhura, anything?"

"No, sir, I'm getting no response from the Vulcan ship."

"Damn. Open that channel."

"Yes, sir." She signaled to him when the channel was open. He turned to face the screen, the drifting Vulcan ship.

"Sulu, get that ship in a tractor-beam, keep them from drifting."

"Aye, sir."

"Vulcan vessel, this is James T. Kirk of the Starship Enterprise. Our sensors indicate that you have taken severe damage. Respond please." He waited, but got nothing and tried again, "Vulcan vessel, this is Enterprise. We have you in a tractor beam. If you are able, respond please."

"Orders, sir?"

"Assemble an Away Team and prepare to beam onto that ship. Something's not right." He linked his hands behind his back, "Vulcan vessel, respond please." Suddenly, there was a crackle of static on the audio-feed and on the screen and he hiccupped.

"Enterprise, Enterprise, this isShaini Laihain. We read you."

"The Shaini Laihain was one of our science ships." Spock came down from his station and stood beside James.

"Uhura, can you do something about the screen static?"

"I can try, sir." Uhura turned to her controls.

"Shaini Laihain, what is the status of your crew compliment?"

"One hundred crew and two hundred passengers, but we took severe damage escaping the singularity."

"Survivors." He exhaled slowly, "This is James Kirk, to whom am I speaking?" Suddenly, the static on the screen cleared and he looked into the damaged bridge of the Shaini Laihain. The crew-member who had returned their hail was visible on the screen. James felt a shock run straight through him, grounding him to the deck.

"Solen? Spock?" the officer didn't look at all sure of herself, and James swallowed on a dry throat.

"T'Paria!" he gasped, "You're alive! What is the situation on your ship? How much air-time do you have left?"

"Ten minutes, maybe fifteen."

"Not enough, not good enough." He turned aside, "I want Sickbay notified and I want Cargo Bay 2 emptied. And someone inform Mr. Scott that I need Transporters on standby. Call off the Away Team."

"Aye, Captain." There was a scramble as his orders were carried out, and he waited until Bones and Scotty checked in that they were ready. He nodded and turned to the screen.

"Captain T'Paria, we are fully prepared to beam you and everyone on the Shaini Laihain onto the Enterprise."

"Do you have enough room for all of us?"

"We'll make room. Prepare for transport on my word, Captain."

"Thank you." T'Paria dipped her head and the screen blanked.

"Scotty, work your magic." He took his seat in the command chair.

"Aye, Captain!" He heard Scotty's affirmative from Engineering.

"Let me know when they're aboard."

"Aye, sir." There was a brief pause and when Scotty came back, he had the word.

"I'm on my way. Commander, you're with me. Mr. Sulu, you have the Bridge, sir." He shoved out of the command chair and headed for the turbo-lift with Spock at his side. Nothing was said as they went down. As soon as the doors opened, he started to run. When they arrived in Cargo Bay 2, Bones was already weeding out the sick and wounded and ushering them off to Sickbay with help from a team of assistants. James searched for T'Paria among the hundreds of faces, stretching on tiptoe to look past the taller Vulcans for a glimpse. Why did they all look so much alike?! He was about to give up when he caught a glimpse of blonde in the mass of refugees. James turned towards the flash of light color, and held his breath. Two refugees passed him and opened up a direct line to T'Paria. He heard a soft cough behind him and looked over his shoulder. Spock stood a short distance away in his usual stance, hands clasped behind his back, the briefest of true smiles on his face. His First nodded, all the permission James needed. Spock would understand, better than anyone. Tugging on the hem of his tunic, he slipped between another cluster of Vulcans and made his way to T'Paria, who stood alone in the moving mass of people.

"T'Paria?" He called softly, getting her to turn and acknowledge him. T'Paria raised her left hand. James stopped before her and lifted his right hand, touching his fingertips to hers, feeling the same familiar jolt. In a moment, they were palm-to-palm and he bowed to rest his forehead against hers.

"Where is Spock?" T'Paria whispered, her eyes closed as she finally let herself relax. James smiled and lifted his head a fraction, pressing his lips to her temple.

"He's here, T'Paria." He reassured her, "He's here. Come on." He stepped back, urging her to follow him. When they reached Spock, they exchanged an identical greeting and he led them out of the cargo area. As they made their way through the Enterprise, he felt T'Paria slip her hand into his. He smiled.

"They put me on the list of dead, didn't they?"

"Yes. Presumed Dead, they told us." He remembered that list too well, too clearly, "I have a few of your things your parents gave me, if you would like them back?"

"I'm sorry, Solen." T'Paria murmured. James put his arm around her briefly, letting her know it was going to be alright.

"Captain's Log, Stardate 2258.70. We have completed our mission to the Zemandi System for research purposes and are bound for Earth unless our orders change, as I am fully certain they will. In the meanwhile, we have stumbled across a crippled Vulcan science ship carrying three hundred crew and passengers. With little room on the Enterprise, I am housing them in Cargo Bay 2 until we can return to Zeta Tarandi in the Vulcan System and settle these new refugees with the Vulcans already making their homes on the colony world. I suspect we may be picking up such vessels as the Shaini Laihain for a few months, I can hope. Among those who escaped aboard the Shaini Laihain was Captain T'Paria, whom I had fully believed to be among the deceased. I cannot think what it would mean for T'Paria to reunite with her family, who believe her among the lost. For now, we're on course for the Vulcan System to resettle the Shaini Laihain's crew and passengers on the colony world. All is, for the moment, well enough."