━━ Embrace For Impact
System Loading... Bethany O'Neal... 40%

Bethany was on stand-by outside the transporter room, ready to receive Jim and Sulu from their mission aboard Vulcan. The young nurse was incredibly nervous when she had been forced to watch Jim plummet towards Vulcan's surface, but nothing could prepare her for now. She bit her thumb nail in anticipation, until she heard a commotion from within.

She bit down on her thumb hard enough that when she removed it there was a significant indent. She rubbed the extra saliva off and proceeded to pull her hair into a side braid. Her crew seemed to be just as on edge with some of the nurses playing with their uniforms. As she ties off her braid a shout could be heard down the corridor.

She looked to see Chekov running towards them in a flurry of curls. She pushed her crew to the side and out of his way as he made his way into the room. Bethany followed behind him and instructed her crew to be on high alert.

"Chekov!"

The sound of Jim's voice set off alarm bells within Bethany as Chekov practically pushed the officer out of her chair, "Hold on, hold on!"

"Now, now, now!"

"James!" Bethany yelled.

"Do it now! Now, now, now!"

Bethany held her breath and covered her mouth as she tried not to hyperventilate. She watched as Chekov's fingers flew furiously across the board as he tried to lock onto Jim and Sulu's body. The young genius could feel the eyes of the young nurse on him and felt a sudden pulse of energy. If he got this wrong she would be changed forever.

"Don't move! Hold on! Computing gravitational pull and... gotcha!"

Bethany watched in relief and horror as Jim and Sulu slammed onto the transporter pad. She rushed forward in a flurry of blue and silver and helped Jim to his feet. The man was just as happy to see her as he pulled her in for a hug. She relished in the feeling of his arms wrapped around her as she buried her face into the crook of his neck.

"I told you to be careful." She whispered.

Jim chuckled, "I was, scrubs."

"This is not what careful looks like." She huffed as she pulled away and began checking him for injuries. The two nurses had already checked Sulu and gave him the green light.

"God." Jim laughed. "You just can't take my word for it. Can you?"

Bethany raised an eyebrow, "Don't make me hit you."

Jim winked before turning to look over at Sulu, "You good?"

"Yeah." The navigator replied. "Thanks."

"No problem."

Spock entered the transporter room causing all eyes to land on his tall form. Bethany and Jim move away and watch as the Vulcan prepares to beam down. Bethany felt a sense of dread hit her as she thought about why he would be going. If they had truly saved the planet then there would be no need, but that didn't seem to be the case.

"Clear the pad. I'm beaming to the surface."

"The surface of what?" Jim questions. "What, are you going down there? Are you nuts? Spock, you can't do that?!"

Spock ignores Jim's protests, "Energize."

"Spock!"

"Captain!" Bethany calls out, but they all watch as Spock is transported away.

Bethany gives her staff new directions as they wait for the survivors from Vulcan. Jim stands beside her in hopes of seeing the Captain return safely. She knows this was his true reason and not any of the other excuses he would eventually say later. The crew set up a small triage and the waiting game began.

Not long after Chekov announced, "Locking on you."

Bethany let out a soft breath, "May god have mercy."

Jim grabbed her hand as they waited in silence.

"Don't move. Stay right where you are." Chekov said as a bright light emitted from the transporter. "Transport in five…four... three... two.."

A loud alarm emitted from above and Bethany felt her anxiety rise as the glow from the pad became brighter. As many figures began to form Checkov began to yell in Russian as he punched new coordinates into the control panel.

"Get ready." Bethany said.

"I'm losing her. I'm losing her, I'm losing her! No, I've lost her." Chekov yelled as a large group fully materialized.

Bethany and her team rushed forward as they helped the Elders down and into the little triage area. As Bethany helped a man that looked strangely like Spock she looked over her shoulder at the man. Spock stands still on the platform with his hand outstretched toward a person that was no longer with them. Sadness engulfed her as she knew who it was, but she kept focused.

She and her crew began to help the survivors down to the med bay where Leonard and his team were ready to receive them. She passed her patient onto someone else as she turned to tend to Jim, whose hands had swollen from his fight. She began to dab a cream onto his knuckles as the two looked at the monitor, where Reagan was announcing their current state.

Leonard came over after all the commotion had died down to tell them that Reagan needed them on the bridge. Bethany followed after them and the trio entered the lift for the bridge in silence. She felt sadness engulf her once more as the doors closed allowing her alone with the people she trusts.

"All those people." She whispered.

Leonard looked over at her, "We saved all we could."

"Did we?" She asked. "I feel like we failed somehow. Like we should have done more."

Leonard placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, "There was nothing we could do Beth, but we can save Pike."

Jim wrapped his arm around her, "We can avenge them."

Bethany shook her head, "They don't need to be avenged, James. They need to be laid to rest."

The lift doors opened to the bridge and Bethany made her way over to Reagan, who immediately engulfed the girl in a sisterly hug. Bethany knew her words were meant not only for the boys, but for herself. This wasn't a man hunt, but a rescue mission. Vulcan needs peace after the terror of that day. She needed to see that violence wasn't always the answer.