Time Lapse: 30 Minutes
Maeve's POV
We landed, more like crashed onto the surface of the planet. Jim and I were flung about and he landed on top of me. I pushed him trying to get him off. It didn't work. Great…He started to move. He opened his eyes and I was met by a pair of the most beautiful blue eyes in the universe. My breath caught in my throat. His eyes filled with confusion then shock. He quickly lifted himself then opened the door of the pod. He stood up then helped to pull me up. I began to breathe again when he looked elsewhere. Get a hold of yourself Maeve! He is a player, a dog. Nothing else. I looked around at the wall of ice around us.
"Great…" I said sarcastically. Kirk patted me on the shoulder and started to climb. I got the hint and followed.
I am glad I remembered to get the coats out of the pod. It was freezing on the surface. I hugged myself trying to stay warm. We followed the instructions the pod told us and began walking.
"So." He said trying to start a conversation. I looked at him out of the corner of my eye and saw him doing the same to me. I looked back in front of us.
"So. Jim." I said his name out loud to try it out. Not so bad I guess. I looked over at him again and saw him fully facing me with shock on his face. I almost busted out laughing. His face was priceless. I looked away before I embarrassed myself.
"You are calling me Jim now? What happened?" I could hear the smile in his voice.
"I thought you were right. I figured you must not be that bad of a guy if you think like me." I shrugged trying not to say too much.
"See." He bumped into me. I looked at him. "We should have hooked up ages ago. We are so alike." He said smirking. He is so not trying to pick me up while we are in the middle of nowhere. I punched him in the arm as a reply. He pretended to cry.
"Grow up Jim. Or I will start calling you Kirk again." I said, playfulness evident in my voice. He cheered up and we continued to walk, making small talk here and there.
~oOoOoOoOo~
Time Lapse: 45 minutes
Maeve's POV
Something big could be heard coming from behind us. We both turned to what looked like a polar bear in the distance. I began to back up but Jim didn't move.
"I think we should go. Now." I said. He didn't move or say anything. It was getting closer… and bigger. I turned and booked it suddenly. Jim followed. We ran, both of us screaming. Suddenly a jolt shook us and we both fell. We looked behind us to see an even bigger creature come from below the ice and munch on the smaller creature. I got up and started to run again but Jim wasn't moving.
"Jim!" I called. Both the creature and Jim looked to me. Jim looked back to the creature then got up and joined me. We ran again. The bigger creature was following us and even closer than the small one.
"Crap, crap, crap!" I could hear Jim yelling. We kept running then suddenly the ground was gone and we were rolling done a cliff.
"Ahhhh!" was all that came out of my mouth. I could tell the monster was falling too because of its screams as it was going down like us. When we got to the bottom Jim and I landed hard on some ice. The wind was knocked out of me and I lay there gasping for breath. Jim got up quickly though and stumbled over to me. He got me up and we began to run again. A cave soon appeared and we ran straight into it and got as far back as possible. One of the tongue things grabbed Jim's leg and floored him. He looked at the monster with fear. He tried to kick it while I grabbed some ice chucks and started throwing them at the beast but to no avail. I ran over to him and grabbed his arms. I pulled with all my might while screaming. "Jim!" Suddenly fire was near us and the creature let go. I pulled Jim away as the man with the burning stick scared the monster away. When he came back he paused and looked at Jim.
"James T. Kirk." We both had a surprised look on our face. The man then looked to me and his features softened. "Mae…" His voice was barely a whisper. I looked at him with confusion.
"Have we met?" I asked. He nodded. Then he asked,
"How did you find me?"
"How do you know our names?" Jim asked.
"I have been and always shall be your friend." The older person said. Jim gave a nervous chuckle.
"Look, I don't know you."
"I am Spock." The man said. Both our faces dropped in awe and confusion. One word came out of our mouths.
"Bullshit."
He took us a little deeper inside the cave and we sat around the fire he had going. He spoke.
"It is remarkably pleasing to see you both again, old friends. Especially after the events of today." Jim stood.
"Sir, I appreciate what you did for me, us, today, but if you were Spock, you'd know we're not friends. At all." I looked to Spock as Jim's words made sense. "You hate me. You marooned me, us, here for mutiny." I raised my hand and they both looked to me.
"Actually I came on my own. After I knocked out the two security guards." I blushed as they both smiled. Well, Jim gave a big toothy grin. Spock gave a small, heart warming smile. Spock looked back to Jim.
"Mutiny, you say?"
"Yes." Jim says.
"You are not the captain?" Spock asked.
"No, no, you're the captain. Pike was taken hostage." Jim began to pace.
"By Nero." Spock understood. We both looked to him wondering. I asked,
"What do you know about him?" Spock looked to me then the flames.
"He is a particularly troubled Romulan. Please, allow me. It will be easier." Spock got up and came closer to me. Jim rushed in front of me.
"What are you doing?" He asked defensively.
"Our minds, one and together." He said before placing his hand on Jim's face. "One hundred twenty-nine years from now, a star will explode that will threaten to destroy the galaxy. That is where I am from, Jim, the future." I watched as Jim jolted and his eyes closed. I listened to what Spock was saying. "A star went supernova, consuming everything in its path. I promised the Romulans that I would save their planet."
I knew he was from the future! Promised to save them? But how?
"We outfitted our fastest ship. Using red matter, I would create a black hole which would absorb the exploding star."
Oh…Wow! Such advancements! I wonder what they have achieved medically! Oh! Pay attention Mae!
"I was on route, when the unthinkable happened. The supernova destroyed Romulus." I gasped and covered my mouth with my hands.
Awful. All the lives lost… now I understand why he destroyed Vulcan. Revenge…
"I had little time. I had to extract the red matter and shoot it into the supernova. As I began my return trip, I was intercepted. He called himself Nero, last of the Romulan Empire. In my attempt to escape, both of us were pulled into the black hole."
Wow! That is how they traveled through time!
"Nero went through first. He was the first to arrive. Nero and his crew spent the next 25 years awaiting my arrival. But what was years for Nero, was only seconds for me. I went through the black hole. Nero was waiting for me. He held me responsible for the loss of his world. He captured my vessel and spared my life, for one reason."
Revenge…
"So that I would know his pain. He beamed me here so that I could observe his vengeance. As he was helpless to save his planet, I would be helpless to save mine. Billions of lives lost because of me. Because I failed." Spock removed his hand and Jim gasped for breath. It looked as if he was going to cry. I rushed to him and he leaned on me.
"Forgive me. Emotional transference is an effect of the mind-meld." Spock apologized. Me and Jim sat. As did Spock.
"So you do feel." Jim said almost shocked. He got up quickly and walked, quickly, a few steps away from us. I stood slowly, staring at Spock.
Such pain…how can he hold himself together?
"Yes." Was all Spock said. He looked to me.
"Going back in time, you changed all our lives." Jim was putting everything together.
"We must go. There is a Starfleet outpost not far from here." Spock began to walk off.
"Wait." Jim said suddenly. Almost begging. "Where you came from, did I know my father?" My heart broke at his question.
That's right… his dad died fighting Nero and saving Jim's life…
"Yes. You often spoke of him as being your inspiration for joining Starfleet. He proudly lived to see you become Captain of the Enterprise." Spock spoke kindly about his father.
"Captain." Jim was amazed.
"A ship we must return you to as soon as possible." He looked to me and his features softened again. "Both of you." He turned and walked out of the cave. Jim and I followed.