Disclaimer: Star Trek is not mine nor do I claim to own it. This is purely a work of fiction.
Warnings: Some violence to come, language, and um…I'm pretty sure two Jim Kirks existing in tandem should be illegal or bring about a paradox that'll explode the universe or something (He's way too good looking for the world to have two of him. haha.)
AN: Sorry for that stupid note, I hate those. Anyway to all who are just reading now, this is different than what I had posted originally. I felt like mirrorverse was too big an ordeal to wrap up in a chapter. I also left too many unanswered reasons for how they accomplished it…and I can go on. Basically it was sloppy and I changed it into what you are about to read...will read. Its long so now it'll be multiple chapters.
So, please enjoy : )
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The One I've Lost
Chapter Three (Part One):
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Jim sat up in the bed facing himself. Honestly, it was one of the weirdest experiences he had ever faced, and he was the Captain of the Enterprise. Weird experiences were in the job description.
Yet, here he was staring down an almost exact replica of himself. Almost exact, because this Jim had obviously been through a handful of rough patches recently. He was scruffy, to say the least, and banged up. Underneath it all there was a coldness that hardened his features, and a set to his jaw that made Jim want to shout at the man to relax.
This Jim was not him. He had been worn down until all his edges were too sharp and brittle. He was not relaxed, but on edge. Mostly he reminded Jim of J.T. and what he had to become while in Tarsus. This was a version of himself bent on the need to survive and do so under harsh conditions.
This was Jim Kirk alone and threatened.
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"I know I'm pretty and all. I'd say take a picture, but your situation doesn't really offer you such accommodations. I believe it would also be a little narcissistic, seeing as you need only look in a mirror to have a similar effect. More pressing, however, is that we don't have time for you to just sit around staring."
The blue eyes were constantly darting towards the door and back to gaze at Jim. His posture was locked and forced as he remained standing, but shifted to lean against the wall. He tried to look as though he was calm, but everything about him screamed fight or flight. This was a man being tracked and prepared to face whatever crossed him.
Jim, on the other hand, was still weary. He had sat up since the barge into his room. His back was leaning against the wall and still facing the other. He had no need to face the door, because he had been onboard this ship for too long already. Throughout all that time he was stuck to go about his days on a agenda not of his own.
So, Jim didn't really have a need to fret over if an unexpected visitor would turn up, because it wasn't likely to happen.
"Spock won't come for some time still. If he keeps to schedule, and we both know that he will. So, we're going to talk."
This version of him wanted help getting the ship back; well there were things that needed to be known before such a thing could happen.
"We shouldn't waste time."
Jim just hummed in agreement, but chose instead to not listen. He shifted in his placement and looked at this other him carefully, "You were dead. I saw you die, how is it you survived?"
A growl of frustration slid out of the others lips before he threw his full attention to the Jim on the bed. "That is important how?! I was told you could help me get my ship back and so far all that we've done for the past several minutes is sit and wait. Now you said you can help me then help me."
"He thinks you are dead. It is relevant." Jim replied evenly.
He could recall the life seeping out of this other. He had nightmares about the feel of the blood of his crew seeping through his clothes. All while he was slowly losing his grasps on life itself.
"Yes, well obviously I am not. Spock must have had some reservations about killing me. Somewhere deep down past all that vast emptiness where his heart is meant to be. He pulled back, and I survived. My body was sent, with the rest of those killed, down to Vulcan to be disposed of. The rebellion found me alive and I've been there ever since.
"Up until another version of Spock came into our hands and we were offered an opportunity to change the game. Spock knew that if he was here than it was likely you would turn up as well. Something about T'hy'la, which he had assumed meant something to me. Then not long ago he just up and said you were here…I don't even want to know how that is possible. All it took was stepping out at the right time and suddenly a group of rebellions that have managed to elude the great Spock for years, was finally captured."
Jim fought to mirror the bemused smirk that pulled up on his mirrored self. It was very much a plan that Jim could see himself concocting.
"So your crew-?" Jim barely managed to ask the question aloud before his other cut him off.
"Are all hostages still onboard this ship? The answer to that is yes. However, the term hostage may not be correct as they are all onboard willingly, up to and including your dear Vulcan."
His grin grew into an odd twist of interest and confusion at the statement. Jim would understand it to be longing if he knew his face as well as he did, but this other version of him had lost many of the expressions that Jim knew too well.
"Whatever Spock told you about the two of us…its true. T'hy'la can be summed up by saying other half. He's ours. I think you knew this too, even before we showed up. I think that's why you're still alive, and I know it's why your Spock brought us here. He mourns the loss of you."
"He mourns nothing. He harbors no emotions. At one point I had believed that to be a lie and led myself to hold onto those assumptions. I was wrong when I witnessed him tear everyone we had cared about apart." He stepped away from the wall and his arms crossed to bare a threating posture as he gazed back down at Jim, "This universe is not like yours. You advance on the failures of others, and to Spock we were all just steps in his path."
The words left Jim feeling sorrow towards the other. He could understand the brittleness he saw reflected in this Jim's posture. He watched all those he held dear get torn down by one of the few he had trusted most.
He could write Spock's relationship off with him as just a lie. He could believe that Spock that he thought he'd known was all just speculations, but Jim knew these two. Even through all the differences they were still Jim and Spock. No matter the universe or timeframe, they were meant to be together, and being apart from one another left them lost and broken.
"Why follow you for years without rising up only to do so when he did? Perhaps I understand your universe more than you think. I bet you made some remark or he overheard a conversation that threatened you and yours. In a world where you advance on the failures of others, maybe Spock no longer wanted to just be a failure you could advance from. Maybe he wanted to be someone you saw as an equal."
Both Jims fell silent at the words. Jim could tell his other did not hold much regards for what he said, but he planted a seed of doubt. It was more than he should have given, especially after all that he had suffered in his time here, but things couldn't remain as they were.
This Jim and his Spock both would massacre their universe in an attempt to overthrow the other. Left on their own they had none to balance themselves. They would fall, and after rising up to such extremes, they would take everyone down with them.
"This doesn't matter, one way or another. I just needed to understand how you survived. If your Spock had been aware of your existence then this would not work."
This grabbed the others attention, reigning him back from the uproar their last conversation had brought out.
"You have a plan?" He grinned.
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"I have several." Jim admitted letting his eyes slid shut. Images of the possible events were playing through his mind. Each with unknown variables; which Spock would likely be able to point out, had he been here. They seemed reasonable enough though.
There were some issues that still needed to be accounted for. One main thing Jim knew was that in this universe they'd be at a disadvantage. This ship was not his and as already pointed out, there were many difference between his universe and this one. He would have to go into this fight with detriments and have to account for all that he could if he wanted to come out victorious.
"As soon as you revealed that you weren't dead, then after you made your request. I knew that you were with the rebels by that point, so you're on our side. It helps. Anyway, I have one last question. How'd you get on board?"
He spoke the question but held up his hand before the other could respond.
"I saw all of the rebels when I was taken to see my Spock. At the time your Spock admitted to that being them all. I know now he was too assured of himself to realize that he was wrong. Which helps, but if you had planned this out…the whole idea, to get everyone back on board this ship, then I know you didn't come up here with the rest of them.
"Not because you fought and escaped. I know you, and Jim Kirk would not leave those under his protection. Not while he was still able to prevent it, even if it was all part of the plan. Spock probably persuaded you. If he insisted that you needed to find me then I can understand us going along with this. Yet, how? You couldn't have masked yourself. They'd realize who you were almost immediately. So, how'd you get onboard this ship undetected, and into my room no less?"
Jim's mind immediately thought of Scotty. There was a man capable of accomplishing such feats.
His Scotsman had just helped him highjack his own ship last time he had seen him. No, his Scotsman had already been on board his ship awaiting his arrival. That was Scotty for you. The man was too similar to Jim. Rules were there and Jim was set to follow them. Up to when one of his own were in danger. Than the rules were meant to be bent, and Scotty was just the one ready and willing to bend all the rules of the universe to help make the impossible possible.
Like getting Jim unto a ship that was traveling through warp.
The other Jim watched as he started putting these pieces together. He grinned when it seemed to click but answered the question all the same.
"A long-range transporter." He answered and with a more relaxed gait, leaned back against the wall again.
"Your Vulcan was not destroyed. The timelines were different here, how then do you know of that?"
"Nero's attack—where you lost Vulcan, we lost Earth. Your Spock spoke of the loss of his planet. Thankfully, Earth had the space station and Star Fleet on hand. Evacuating the planet was much simpler but we still lost billions of people. It is the reason Star Fleet is a harsh gain or lose work environment. We cannot afford to be weak. Even so many years later, we are still picking ourselves up. Vulcan was saved by those of us going off to face Nero, I was aboard the Enterprise to aide Pike in your rescue. We needed all Starfleet officers we could get, and Scotty was along the way."
Jim's eyes had grown at what he was hearing. There were so many differences in this timeline. He had thought that because it mirrored his own, that they would have faced the same events. Vulcan proved that wrong. Now he knew that still they had lost much in the fight with Nero.
"The rebels among us are not only Starfleet members who were discarded to Vulcan. Many of the Vulcan's still recall the help we gave to save their planet. They know that Spock's goals will eventually lead him to act out against both the Vulcans and the Federation. Those who oppose Spock have been assisting us.
"And the Vulcan's are not behind on the technology side. Scotty had shown me the equation long ago, and it didn't take much to recreate."
Jim felt the loss the other brought up when speaking the name of one of his crew members. Knowing that where they had died at the hand of Spock, he had survived. All Jim had now were the memories of them and the pieces of himself that he had grown into through his time spent with them.
"We'll get you your ship back. Though, when we do…I request you reconsider your desire to act out your revenge. Don't-don't argue it now. Just think on it." Jim had to speak up to talk over the protests the other began to raise, but he smiled amused when the other relented.
"So are you going to tell me your plan?" The other asked his eyes darting back to the door as if he only now recalled he was supposed to be on edge.
Jim grinned at that. He was told time and again that he had a certain way of growing on people. He could frustrate the hell out of someone, and yet at the same time he could make others get lost in the confidence and ease that Jim often emitted. It left others more calm and in control even during such risky situations.
"Alright." He sat up for this and scrubbed his hands together as all the pieces of the plan began to fall into place within his mind. Obviously he couldn't account for everything, but having to Jim Kirks onboard this plan left him with a feeling of invincibility.
It was funny how the Jim factor was often lumped into just pure luck time and again. Jim often thought ahead of most of his plans. He had Spock to account for the other variables but usually he was quick on his feet and was able to alter the plan on a moment's notice to still obtain a similar end result.
Now he had another Jim to add to that prospect, and honestly the two should cancel each other out. Two positives usually didn't work out to be a wrong, and Jim was counting on that. Even more, if something did go wrong, he was sure that it would end up working in their favor all the same.
"Firstly, I think it's best if you know the layout of your crew, so you don't have to go sneaking in there to save them. I'll also need the lock picks you keep in your boot. I know that time spent on ground keeps you cautious and I'm going to need those more than you. We'll not me, but rather a certain Vulcan who can't break out of bonds meant to hold a Vulcan hostage.
"We need some of them to escape for this to work, and you're also going to need to know the schedule I've been on over the past day to day. Then after we get that all settled you're going to need to disappear again. He can't know that you're alive. This won't work out well if he does."
Jim smirked as the other Jim tried to piece together whatever plan Jim had come up with and still was left with a confused twitch to his features.
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"Don't worry, I'm sure you're going to really enjoy this."
The other Jim's lips pulled into a grin that mirrored Jim's pushed away from the wall to grab out the asked for items, and moved forward to lean against the bed.
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"Tell me everything."
AN: Please forgive all spelling and grammar errors, I literally wrote this just now in a hurry to replace a note I put as a placeholder. I'll probably get back to this eventually to fix it up, but I'm on a roll with this idea and want to get it all down before I forget. Hope this sounded better to any who read the prior post. And to those who are just now reading this I hope you liked the confusion of Jim with his mirror version.
Writing this was like Jim having a conversation with himself if any of you watch the new Doctor who my mind was just imagining Chris Pine talking to himself like the doctor had in the episode with the new cybermen. haha.
