The instant Sybok entered Kirk's mind, searing pain rose like a tidal wave to engulf him. Falling back upon old Vulcan techniques, Sybok fought to banish the pain. I am a Vulcan...there is no pain...pain is a thing of the mind, it can be controlled...there is NO PAIN...
And then he was past it, and all was dark. Nothing was visible, save a flickering yellow light in the distance. Sybok moved toward the golden spark, instinctively knowing that it was that which he sought.
The light that was James Kirk seemed to look up at the Vulcan as he approached, and tried to step back. Go away! Kirk's spirit said. Get out of my mind!
Admiral, you have been badly injured. I have been allowed to attempt a healing, Sybok stated.
Spock can do it.
No, he does not have the proper training. He does not know how to heal, except himself. Please, let me help.
Kirk's spirit paused, as if those last three words held special meaning for him. And then the mistrust returned. No. I won't let you corrupt me! Let Spock do it!
He cannot help you. Please, Admiral. You must allow me to assist you. Spock can do nothing.
Dammit, you can NOT bar me from my t'hai'la! Kirk shouted, furious. He is my soul-brother, you WILL NOT keep us apart!
Your t'hai'la! Sybok released his powerful psychic hold on Kirk in shock. Your brother of the soul? Then, Sybok's mind-self knelt at Kirk's feet. Brother of my brother, he declared, I give you my loyalty.
Kirk's anger was forgotten as he looked at the Vulcan. Brother of your brother? Show me what you mean.
Sybok showed him.
~~~~~~~
When Kirk awoke, the first thing he noticed was the absence of pain. He felt a little stiff from being in one position too long, but other than that, nothing was out of the ordinary. He looked around and frowned in confusion, not recognizing his surroundings.
"You are in the medical room of the captured Klingon vessel," Sybok said, nearly startling the young admiral. The Vulcan stood beside him, and Kirk could see that he was exhausted from the healing. "I have healed your injuries."
"Yes. Thank you, Sybok."
"It was the least I could do, for my brother's brother." Sybok inclined his head respectfully toward Kirk.
"Nevertheless, you have my gratitude." Kirk slowly sat up and looked around at the deserted room. "Where is everyone?"
"Sleeping. We have been in the meld for nearly a day. I believe you may find Spock on the bridge with General Korrd. As for the others, they are resting in their respective quarters." The side of the Vulcan's mouth quirked up in a half-smile. "Except McCoy."
At Kirk's questioning look, Sybok directed his attention to one of the chairs near the wall. McCoy was in it, sleeping soundly with his head on an armrest. He had one leg propped up on the other armrest, his other leg across the back of the chair. He might have been dead, if not for the thunderous noise that was his snoring.
"He intended to speak with you the instant you were healed, but I'm afraid he fell asleep," Sybok explained, shrugging. "Would you like to go to the bridge?"
"Yes, thank you." Kirk stood up, taking one last look around the so-called Sickbay. He grinned as he saw McCoy again, then turned and followed Sybok out the thick gray doors.
As Sybok had said, there were only two others on the bridge. General Korrd sat at the helm, keeping a careful eye on the readings as he took a drink of Romulan Ale. Spock, on the other hand, was monitoring the sensors on the left side of the bridge. He glanced up as the two entered. "Admiral, I trust you are well?"
"Yes, thanks to Sybok. What time is it?" Kirk asked, instinctively heading for the Klingon command chair as if it was his own.
"Zero-six hundred hours, Admiral," Spock answered. "The rest of our...crew...should be awakening shortly."
Kirk grinned. "Bones is going to blow his top when he wakes up and realizes I'm gone."
As if on cue, the bleary-eyed doctor practically stumbled onto the bridge. "Damn fool...what do you think you're doing?" he asked Kirk, but he still sounded half-asleep.
Kirk shrugged and tried to look innocent. "Taking command, what else?"
Sulu and Talbot stepped onto the bridge and immediately took their stations, both subtly eavesdropping on the conversation. Kaithlin followed the two men, and stood near the science station.
"Shoulda known not to trust that pointy-eared calculator..." McCoy continued grumbling. Then he noticed Sybok standing right next to Kirk, and stopped speaking. "Err..."
McCoy was saved from having to make an awkward apology by Spock, who had moved over to the right side of the bridge during the minor arguement. "Admiral, we seem to be recieving a distress call."
Kirk turned the chair slightly, wincing at the grating noise of unoiled metal on metal. "Origin?"
Spock listened carefully, and a concerned expression flickered across his face. "It's from Earth, Admiral."
Ignoring the looks of horror from the other humans, Kirk spoke. "Put it onscreen."
"On screen, sir."
A static-filled, constantly-moving image of the Federation President appeared on the rectangular viewscreen. His voice was garbled, but his meaning was clear. "Earth...under attack...alien probe...unknown origin. All ships...immobilized, emergency power almost gone. It...vaporizing...oceans...ionizing atmosphere. Do not approach Earth...save your energy. Save yourselves. Avoid...Earth at all costs. Repeat..." The audio crackled and faded away, and the image went completely dark.
Kirk sank back into the uncomfortable Klingon chair, his gaze fixed on some point visible only to him. First David, then the Enterprise and its crew...and now, the entire planet Earth. The entire universe was turning against him.
"All transmissions from planet Earth have terminated, Admiral," Spock said, deceptively calm.
Quite abruptly, Spock and Sybok both cried out in pain and nearly fell. Kirk was at Spock's side in an instant, gripping his friend's shoulders in an attempt to steady him. Sybok recieved similar support from McCoy.
"Spock, Sybok, what's happened?" Kirk demanded, feeling a strange flash of déjà vú.
Spock had his eyes squeezed shut, and spoke as though from a great distance. "The entire planet...all of Earth...they just died."
Sybok recovered quickly and stepped free of McCoy's grip. "Admiral Kirk...the entire Sol system is now devoid of life. Many ships are immobilized. The Klingons are bound to loot what they can, and destroy that which they do not find of value. I recommend we leave the area and find safe haven."
Once Kirk was sure Spock would be okay, he released him and returned to the command chair. "I concur," he said at last. "Sulu, set course for...for Genesis."
"Aye, sir."
~~~~~~~
But when they arrived...Genesis was no longer there, either. All they found was drifting chunks of rock, which bounced off the captured ship's shields.
Kirk frowned, staring at the rocks. "I don't understand. Where did the planet go? It can't have just disappeared."
"Admiral, I believe the rock particles are all that remain of the Genesis planet," Spock said, sounding slightly less baffled than the rest of the crew. "It appears that the planet was extremely unstable, and consequently destroyed itself."
Kirk was stunned. "How?"
"Scanners indicate the presence of protomatter," Spock said, sounding puzzled.
"Protomatter?" This day is just one disaster after another, isn't it? Kirk thought to himself. "From the Genesis device?"
"That would be the apparent cause, Admiral."
Protomatter! In the Genesis device! What was David thinking? Kirk abruptly forced himself from that train of thought; there was no reason to bring up fresh grief. Instead, he focused on their situation. There would be time to mourn later. "What other Starfleet ships were spared from this probe's attack?"
"The Intrepid-II, the Excelsior, the Excalibur, and the Monitor, Admiral."
"That's all?" Kirk was surprised. Only four ships...
"They are the only Starfleet vessels that remain; however, there are still the Romulans and the Klingons. Even so, they have lost several ships as well," Spock replied.
"Nearest Starfleet vessel?"
"Excelsior, approximately three lightyears away."
"Set course for the Excelsior's position, Warp Seven," Kirk ordered. Korrd punched in the heading, and Sulu engaged the warp drive. "Spock, can we send them a subspace message, so they don't shoot us on sight?"
Spock moved back to the communications station and examined the controls. "I believe this is the transmission switch," he said, pointing to a button.
"Send this message: 'Enterprise destroyed, Klingon vessel captured and en route to Excelsior; do not fire on Klingon vessel. Admiral Kirk, commanding Klingon ship.' Encode and send immediately," Kirk instructed.
"Done, Admiral."
"Good." Kirk leaned back in the Klingon command chair and tried not to shift around too much in an attempt to become comfortable. "Are there any Klingon ships in this quadrant?"
"None that I can detect, sir," Kaithlin reported from the science station. "However, I recommend engaging cloaking device as a safety precaution."
"Agreed. Engage cloaking device." Sybok did the honors.
Kirk looked at his unlikely crew. Four Terrans, two Vulcans, a Romulan, and a Klingon. Who would've imagined it?
And it suddenly occured to Kirk that Terrans were now, for all purposes, an endangered species. How could they ever survive, alone in this savage galaxy? Where could they go? Where would they live?
Were they doomed to roam the stars forever?