James T Kirk: The Next Generation

A Slight of Hand…

The Diamond came out of warp and instantly Nog opened his eyes as far as he could without causing them to roll out of their sockets. The Ferengi had read stories about the Planet Killer but hadn't realized how large it really was until seeing it firsthand.

As the Diamond approached the long dormant device, which had destroyed so many worlds, being on the Diamond felt more and more like being a fly buzzing around an elephant.

James T Kirk felt the uneasiness as well. He remembered the encounter with the Planet Killer as if it were only yesterday.

Kirk looked at Spock.

"I suppose you never made it back here?" Kirk asked.

"Precisely," Spock said. "However, seeing it after all these decades, I cannot help but wonder why I never came back to see it."

"I can tell you why," S'vath said from the tactical post, "We Vulcans are all about striving forward. You know as well as I do that grandfather would have thought your coming back here for nostalgic reasons would have been illogical."

Spock nodded in agreement.

"I cannot deny that possibility," Spock said. Then he looked at Kirk. "Jim, from your perspective, the events surrounding what happened here all those decades ago happened only four years ago. The memories must be very strong."

"You were always the one for understatements," Kirk said.

Bashir was thinking back on what he had read about the Enterprise's encounter with the device.

"Captain Kirk," Bashir said, "is it true that you piloted a starship into the large orifice?"

Kirk nodded.

"Yes, it is true," Kirk said, "and I came within seconds from not making it off the USS Constellation in time."

"Four point two-five-seconds, if I recall correctly," Spock said.

"Well excuse me," Rhonda said, as she came over from where was standing, "I have no idea what this thing is; so what is it?"

"What we are looking at was, in essence, a robotic device," Spock began to explained, "A device that fed on planetary debris to power itself. It destroyed several planets, and the ship and crew of the USS Constellation, until it was deactivated by what were quite unorthodox methods," Spock concluded, aiming the last couple words at Kirk.

"Poor Matt Decker," Kirk said, in a somber tone. "He had the right idea to stop it, just not big enough of a ship to carry it out." Kirk sighed, and then he looked up at Spock, who stood next to the command chair. "Alright Spock; why all the secrecy? Why have you brought us back here?"

Before Spock could answer, S'vath, who manned the tactical post behind where Kirk sat, cut in.

"Captain," S'vath stated, "sensors are detecting a Federation shuttle-craft at the far end of the Planet Killer; they are hailing us."

"Put them on screen," Kirk said.

The view of the Planet Killer was replaced by the smiling face of Captain Montgomery Scott; retired. Standing beside Scotty was a man of oriental persuasion, with a long white beard. But as Kirk stared closer, he recognized the older man; it was Sulu.

Scotty's eyes also stared closer as he recognized Kirk as well; a much younger Captain Kirk indeed.

O'Brien looked over at Bashir and smile whimsically at each other. When they were serving aboard DS9, years ago, the two had actually traveled back in time and had encountered both Kirk and Scotty.

"Kep'n Kirk," Scotty said excitedly. "Aye'a din'na believe the reports…"

"It is amazing," Sulu said to the much younger Kirk.

"And it is very good to see the two of you as well," Kirk stated with a smile. "It looks like you've both done very well, and that, more than anything, makes me happy."

"Kep'n," Scotty said, "I know 'ye not exactly the same man who came back all those years ago, but I want ya' to know that ye were always a good friend."

"Where are Pavel and Nyota?" Sulu asked.

Kirk's expression became somber.

"They didn't make it," Kirk replied. "Their signals were degraded, and when they rematerialized, they were…" Kirk trailed off, closing his eyes in the process; not wanting to discuss the grizzly condition Chekov and Uhura had arrived in the 24th century. "They will be missed." Kirk concluded. Then Kirk looked over at Spock. "What is going on here? How did they know to meet us here?"

"I sent for them," Spock explained. "And hopefully it was not a fool's errand."

"Ambassador," Sulu said, as he pointed an old twitching finger at the camera, "When have we ever let you down."

"Never," Spock replied. "Nor was I inferring that you had; I apologize for the miscommunication."

"Don't ya apologize to this old geezer," Scotty said to Spock, but aiming his words at Sulu, with a smile, "he forgot his prunes when we left his house and he's been snapping at everything thing ever since."

"Very well, then we shall beam you over," Spock replied. "Stand by," Spock added. Then he turned to Kirk. "Jim, I think you and I should proceed to the Transporter and greet our old friends."

"Alright," Kirk said, as he stood up. "I'll be at the Transporter room with Ambassador Spock. In the meantime, Commander Nog," Kirk said, with an intended pause, "you've got the con."

Moments later, Kirk and Spock had arrived at the Transporter room where Spock was soon standing at the Transporter machine.

"So, Spock; why all the cloak and dagger," Kirk asked as he watched Spock work the Transporter.

"Perhaps the expression, wait and see, would apply to this situation." Spock replied. Then he spoke; "Energize."

But it was NOT Scotty and Sulu who dissolved from the shuttle craft; instead it was Kirk and Spock who dissolved from the Transporter room on the Diamond!

Continued!