STAR TREK: TIME KEEPER
The Father Gambit
Starbase-16
Inside the abandoned office space, Jim Kirk stood next to Minister Sean Landis, and both men watched as young David Marcus was injected with the antidote to Zyphon-7. Carol, Sean's wife, and Kirk's former lover, was standing next to the young boy, watching with careful eyes as McCoy did the injection.
Captain Kirk and Landis spoke with hushed voices. Kirk had only returned moments earlier with the antidote and while McCoy was injecting Carol and David with it, Kirk was having a quiet conversation with Sean Landis; his real name was actually Nicholas Tolbert.
"So, I take Carol does not know you are an agent of the Federation Security Bureau," Kirk said in a near whisper.
"I never told her," Sean admitted. "And to be honest, Jim, I retired from the agency four years ago, and didn't see the need to let her know. It was a part of my past that is stocked full with classified information that I couldn't tell her about anyway. One thing I know about women; they want to know everything, so I decided to just side step the issue all together."
Kirk nodded his head.
"Do you ever fear," Kirk continued, "that your past could catch up with you?"
Sean nodded his head, and then looked at Jim Kirk.
"Jim," Sean Landis said, "David and Carol are not in any danger from my past, if that is what you're inferring."
Jim Kirk nodded his head.
"I will be honest, Sean," Kirk came back with, "I didn't really care for you when we first met a couple days ago; and I was wrong. I can tell that you genuinely care for Carol and our son; you have nothing to worry about where I am concerned. You're able to give Carol was she wants, and deserves, and I know from what I've seen already, that you're wonderful father." Kirk looked over at Carol and David and watched as McCoy handed the young boy a lollypop. "What about your ship; can I borrow it to go look for Spock?"
Sean nodded his head.
"Of course you can," Sean said, "however; I'm coming with you."
"I can't ask you to do that," Jim said back to Sean.
"Jim," Sean added, "I've been on so many secret missions into the Romulan Empire, I know it like the back of my hand. Plus," Sean added, "I've got friends," the thought for a second, "okay, maybe not friends, but contacts over there. And I must admit," Sean said, cutting off Kirk before he could respond, "I miss the action. So if you want to use my ship, fine; but I'm coming along."
Kirk shook his head.
"You're a stubborn man," Kirk said, and then he smiled, "I think we have more in common than you might think. Now," Kirk said, looking back over at Carol and David, "how do join the mission without revealing your past to Carol?"
"I'll take care of that part of the equation," Sean said to Kirk. "Give me about ten minutes and then I'll meet you at my office, alone, and we'll go from there."
Kirk nodded his head and watched as Sean Landis went over and hugged Carol and David. McCoy came over to Kirk.
"Jim; they'll be all alright," McCoy said to Kirk. "I guess we're all lucky that Commodore Mendez knew about an experiment using the Zyphon-7 antidote at a nearby colony." And then McCoy lowered his voice. "But then again, why do I think it wasn't as much as a coincidence as it seems."
Before Kirk could reply, Scotty came over.
"The Enterprise is standing by to beam us up," Scotty reported.
Kirk nodded his head, and then he looked at his two friends and decided to level with them.
"Alright," Kirk said to McCoy and Scotty, "what I am about to tell you is classified gentlemen. I have been tasked by Commodore Mendez to find Spock and bring him back, (Kirk omitted any reference to the first priority; rescuing the Romulan scientist and getting her device.) I will be remaining on Starbase-16, but I want the two of you to return to the ship."
"What are you going to be down here on Starbase-16?" McCoy asked.
Kirk thought for a moment, and then continued.
"I am coming into possession of a ship that I will use to get into the Romulan Empire," Kirk told them.
Both McCoy and Scotty looked shock upon hearing Kirk's voice.
"Ya' can't be serious," Scotty said, with concern in his raspy voice.
"I'm coming with you," McCoy said, as a matter of fact.
Jim Kirk knew the look that he was no seeing on McCoy's face.
"You can't, Bones," Kirk replied. "The ship has limited space. And besides," Kirk added, "this is a classified mission."
"Jim, I want…" McCoy began to say, but Kirk cut him off.
"Bones," Kirk said, cutting off McCoy, "you can't come and that's final. Now listen," he said, to both McCoy and Scotty, "get back to the ship. Once you're aboard, there must be limited communication from the Enterprise there on. You must provide the allusion that I am still aboard the ship giving orders. If it were to be discovered that I'm not aboard; it could arouse suspicion. Starbase-16 isn't far from the Romulan Neutral zone, so keep it quiet."
McCoy wanted to protest, but he realized Jim Kirk had made a decision. Moments later, Jim Kirk watched as a somewhat angry McCoy, as well as Scotty, beamed away. Kirk turned and watched as David and Carol hugged Sean. David walked away and let his mom and Sean be alone for a second.
Sean looked into Carol's eyes.
"I won't be long," Sean told her.
"It's more of that spy stuff; isn't it," Carol said with a slight smile.
"You know that I'm a spy?" Sean asked, surprised. "How long have you known," Sean added.
"Didn't I tell you," Carol said, with a smirk on her face, "wives know everything."
"Don't they," Sean added with a chuckle.
Carol's expression became serious.
"You better come home to us," Carol said. "I love you."
And then they kissed. Kirk was watching from several feet away, but turned the other way to give them privacy. With a few moments, Sean came over to Kirk and they both watched as Carol and David left the building; Carol looking back for just an instant as she passed through the exit door.
"They are special," Sean said to Kirk.
Kirk nodded in agreement, and then the two men headed out of the building in another direction, their destiny was Sean's ship; The Spectre.
Continued…