Ok, is this the end? This concluded the mission in Terra. The inspiration of this chapter came from Japanese anime, "Towards the Terra". It was really a beautiful series.
I can't stop thanking Starsinger for beta.
I don't own Star Trek and the characters.
Chapter 21: End
"You do your job, I'll do mine, this world is coming to the end. I'll see that your girlfriend can get off the planet safely," Jim gave Spock a half-shy smile.
"This is the first time I introduced myself to you here. My name is Jim Kirk."
"Spock, Captain of the Enterprise," they shook hands with Chekov nodding in the background.
"Your plan will not work," Spock said again to Ambassador James.
"If that's the case I'll just have to destroy it and restart somewhere until I succeed."
"They are not just data. They do feel," Spock yelled to emphasise his point.
"This is funny. They are not even Vulcan," James argued. His Red Matter Devices were up and ready to fire. "Counting down now".
"10, 9, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2…" The voice of a female from the System ranged.
"This is the end and we shall part here, Captain Spock. I'll see you on the other side," James smiled sadly. "It's a pity that Spock wouldn't be my friend in this world…"
Uhura looked up above. One of the Red Matter Devices was flaring red. She had arranged for the people who came answering their calls aboard the shuttles sent by the Enterprise prep and ready to take off upon Pike's signal.
"I think we should go now," a man approached Uhura.
"Ambassador Spock?" Uhura cried out in surprise. She did not expect his presence.
"I had something to say to Mr. Harewood over there and Admiral Pike and I got the answer I wanted. It is time to retreat. Our role is done here, and it's time to let them do the rest," Spock explained. Uhura paused for a moment and nodded in agreement. She was overwhelmed by a mixture of emotions. She could finally leave Terra.
A silent Amanda came over to give Uhura a farewell hug. "Stay safe, my girl. Take care of my stubborn son."
"I will. Please take care, Mother!" Uhura nodded and cried on the motherly figure. She wished Amanda could come along with them but she knew that was impossible. Amanda was comforted. She was grateful that she was given the opportunity to meet her son and her beautiful possible daughter-in-law. She knew Spock's welfare would be taken care of. She turned and glanced at Ambassador Spock who averted his eyes for obvious reason.
"Spock," she called out. No matter how old he was, he was still her son. She gave the elder Vulcan a hug. Spock Prime was once again emotionally compromised, like it or not.
"Mother," He whispered.
Ambassador Spock and Uhura proceeded to a shuttle assigned to only see Chekov running really quickly to them. He was not the youngest cadet in history to win the Starfleet Academy marathon for nothing. Chekov was determined not to fail Admiral Pike and Captain Kirk who pinned their hopes on him after he failed in so many occasions.
An officer was counting down, "The Red Matter is firing in 10, 9, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2…"
Carol worked to research on the Red Matter Device. Even if she could not stop it, there could be information left to those who managed to live on.
McCoy was amazed how Sulu could remain so calm with a Super Weapon locked on to them. He did not know in fact Sulu hid his nervousness underneath his poker face.
Scotty was getting ready in the Transporter Room. He could at least beam all whose signals could be detected up if they failed to recover the shuttles. Riley remained in the hangar to receive the incoming shuttles. Everyone just do their jobs.
All of them had faith that they would survive this.
"Oh no, you don't," Pike declared pressing "ENTER".
The eight Red Matter Devices died down in the nick of time. McCoy was the first one who showed signs of relief. He stared at the Acting Captain who had the same expression but reverted back to his poker face immediately.
"I don't understand you," he squatted beside him muttering in disbelief. He felt that Sulu needed to be honest with his feeling even though he needed to remain calm as Acting Captain.
"No way!" James exclaimed at the sight of the devices shutting down.
"This is the end, Ambassador. As the Captain of the Enterprise, I order you to shut down the System and surrender to us in peace," Spock had faith in Jim and he did it. Spock stared at James sternly. Instead of expecting his face to twist into anger, James smirked.
"No it's not. I don't believe in no-win scenarios," James declared. "System log in. Restart Red Matter Devices!" Spock was shocked when the devices reactivated. He manually overrode the System, Jim had rewritten. As expected from someone with the face and memories of his elder counterpart. He had far more experience than Jim could ever be.
"What the hell?" McCoy cried out anxiously when the devices reactivated themselves. Carol could only stare at the screen she was working in, in shock.
"We exist everywhere with the people. We will just have to move on after the destruction of this Terra and create the new one," Spock finally pulled the trigger feeling agitated as a half human.
However, as James was just data he disappeared in an instant and appeared behind Spock and knocked his phaser off him. Spock, who was caught unaware, could only see a gun pointed at him at point-blank.
"Data could not be destroyed with this weapon but it it's possible to end lives of species like human and Vulcan alike. This had to be done in order to bring about eternal peace. As long as human feelings and desires exist, conflict will continue to. As the Ambassador of the System, I have to ensure peace," James explained.
Uhura wondered if they failed.
"Have faith, Lieutenant Uhura," Ambassador Spock consoled her.
All hope was thought to be lost, when Chekov's voice rang out.
"You just hawe to see zis!" He said excitedly showing Uhura and the rest the live feeds he had found.
"Even so, the people of the Terra have the right to live! He could not give up now when they had come this far. He could not ignore lives even if they are merely data. He could not forget how his mother brought smiles back to the people who had turned Lost and accepted the new way of life, and Jim. His shy smile the last time he saw him not to forget the tears of the people who had their memories erased throughout their mission in Terra with Ambassador James.
Just when James ordered the Devices to fire again, it died down once more.
"What is happening?" he yelled. He ordered the System to start up.
"Command cannot be completed," the computer voice ranged. "Network unable to connect." A screen appeared before James and Spock.
All over Terra in the cities and streets, people were rioting. Together, they were destroying the System Branches. Surviving members of the Tarsus 9 were seen leading the people for this mission. Robau's men all over the world had located all the System Branches.
"And I thought the System cannot be destroyed and the people of Terra can't feel," Scotty commented ironically.
"System order cannot be defied," James cried out. This was what he was afraid it would happen. That was the reason he would want to erase their memories and ability to feel.
"They fight for their right to live!" Spock commented sitting up after James released his hold on him pinning him down earlier. "Even if you have determined their lives from the start, throughout their journey in life, they will still make choices and free will does apply. They live the best of their lives not according to script."
"85.6% of the System down is down but not the Vega Barrier," Science officer 0718 announced.
"You win!" James sighed in defeat being proven that the people had free will. In fact he felt proud.
They had yet to notice that the Red Matter Devices were still working except for James who stared in horror. James had planned to surrender.
"System command!" He ordered.
"Command unauthorized. Begin bug deletion," system responded.
"You have to go with your friends, Spock," James realized what was happening. "My control of the System is taken away as they cannot comprehend my decision to allow the Lost to live. System is preparing to fire the Red Matter and there is no way of stopping them".
"What about the people?"
"Vega Barrier is absolute. As long as people are made up of data, they will never be able to leave," James explained. How ironic, even though he did not believe in no-win scenarios.
"I believe George had made the arrangement. After all, we are people who no longer exist."
Sulu order torpedoes locked on to the Red Matter Devices after noticing their reactivation this time round in stealth. Their aim had to be precise right on the heart due to the destructive nature of the Red Matter. They could not have it explode here to create a black hole. Should black holes be created, everyone on Terra and the Enterprise would die.
"Fire!" Sulu ordered. The torpedoes hit the control of the Devices and disintegrated them. It was a customized torpedoes developed by their proud weapon specialist Carol Marcus who had given him the targets to hit on the devices themselves just in the short amount of time she had for research. Sulu was glad that she was with them. However, one device still remained.
"Shit! We do not have enough ammunition". Sulu shouted out upon receiving the alert from the Engineering.
Meanwhile, Former Captain Richard Robau and First Officer George Kirk smiled at each other.
Setting the ship on course to the activated Red Matter Device on kamikaze maneuver, they were going to die a was what they were do. George's role in this world had ended.
Sulu and the rest were shocked to see another Starship crashing on the last Red Matter Device and disintegrated.
"USS Kelvin." The legend was revived. The legendary ship once again saved lives of the countless people of Terra.
"Begin evacuation of the people of Terra!" Sulu took a shuddering breath and gave out the next order.
"Dr. McCoy, instead of squatting here, please stand by at the sickbay, you have a lot of visitors coming to visit soon," he eyed at the stunned Doctor who was trying to digest what was happening.
"Come, I'll help," Carol tugged McCoy by his arms and led him to the turbolift.
Jim and Porthos watched as USS Kelvin disintegrated. He lay on the bench of the shuttle and watched the Super Weapons and USS Kelvin disintegrate. His father most likely had perished even before the crashing of the ship due to the effect of absolute Vega Barrier which he could not overwrite for data beings.
Porthos was licking Jim's pale face to comfort him. Jim ruffled the dog's hair weakly. Even at the end, he was not alone. Dying was not as scary as it was in the other world. He closed his eyes. Feeling comforted and no longer feeling pain, Jim smiled and eventually fell limp in the bench of the abandoned shuttle. He felt at peace.
Quietly, the shuttles started to evacuate from Terra. They could not be beamed as the "aliens" had to be officially revoked of their Citizenship via the Vega Barrier throughout the planet. Uhura watched the numbers on her wrist disappearing as soon the shuttle passed through the Vega Barrier. Tears fell on her wrist and she cried on Ambassador Spock's shoulder.
"Welcome back! Captain!" Scotty greeted as soon as Spock materialized on the Transporter Pad as soon as the lockdown was lifted. He ran to the hanger in order to check out the status of the evacuation.
Ambassador James had informed Spock that there were "aliens" they could retrieve from Terra and sent them back home. Terra would be rebooted according to President George's wishes. Upon the reboot, all "aliens" would be rejected from Terra including them. Hence, instead of evacuating the Lost who responded to the call, it was in fact "aliens" who were onboard on the shuttles. Even as a Lost, all Citizens of Terra had understood and accepted what they were as programmed as they belonged to the Terra. Only "aliens" were truly considered as "Lost".
"Send my regards to my old friend. I'm programmed to say this," he handed a PADD he had taken from the Enterprise. "It'll tell you the truth of Terra. After all, I'm different from the mere data like the Citizen of the Terra."
As soon as Uhura alighted from the shuttle, she ran into Spock's arms crying in happiness. Ambassador Spock nodded at Spock while Chekov rushed off to the Transporter Room.
"Whoa! Laddie." Scotty cried out in surprise. Chekov was focused on the final order from the late Admiral Pike.
"Lost will disappear from the shuttle leaving those who does not belong here left. And I want you to beam a certain shuttle from this coordinates up as soon as they got onboard the ship and have Dr. McCoy on stand-by".
Chekov decided that he would not fail this mission. As per ordered by Pike, he would beam a certain shuttle which was currently floating aimlessly in the space onboard. Pike had sent the shuttle off flying for the same reason to revoke a certain citizenship and due to the fact that the shuttle seemed to be belonged to the a lost "alien" since it was found within the premise of the Central System no Citizen of Terra could enter until the System was overridden, no coordinates were sent to the Enterprise.
Porthos barked softly in the shuttle which was floating aimlessly in space.
"Captain log. Stardate 2261.63. The Enterprise had left Terra. No one knows what happened to the people in Terra after the reboot. Communications were halted and the planet disappeared from our radar. Let us hope that they will be leading a peaceful life and live happily ever after.
However, what Ambassador James had left me was fascinating. The experience on Terra will be etched deeply in all of our hearts. No one will ever forget what the Ambassador had done for us".