Star Trek XV – Now and Forever

Chapter One

The peace and quiet Team Genesis usually enjoyed was disrupted by the biggest event they had had since their formation and, albeit only their top three scientists were expected to be there, Carol noticed with a bit of pride, that her whole team had showed up in the laboratory nonetheless.

The reason was obvious. Today they would send her away together with the device they'd all been working on non stop for the best part of two years but, due to security reasons, they had to dismantle it first. This made everyone feel very uneasy, the smallest mistake and they could potentially ruin everything.

Carol was grateful her friend and fellow physicist Dr Ritte was there. Thanks to the old man's surprisingly steady hands, they were able to take the machine apart in no time and, very soon, they had the highly unstable core safely packed away.

'Okay,' the old man said breathing out his relief, 'the worst part is over.'

'Yes,' Carol agreed, 'now let's get the rest wrapped up.'

'Yes, ma'am,' he said with a mock military salute, 'I'll better go and help Julian, otherwise he'll just panic.'

'I don't blame him,' she said, 'and he's not the only one: I'm meant to be loading this into the shuttle in about an hour and we're nowhere near ready. Plus, I am really worried about the Vulcan elders, what if they change their mind and decide they don't want to help us after all?'

'Why would they do that?' Dr Ritte asked her.

'I don't know,' she said, 'it's just that I keep having this nightmare where I show up and they tell me they're not interested. I know it's irrational but you know we were lucky to get an audience with them.'

'Yes, I know,' he confirmed, 'after what happened to their planet, it's only normal they'd become even more reserved than they've always been so it's to be expected they wouldn't want a bunch of human scientist running around their Academy, however, they accepted to see you and I know it's because they think your device has enormous potential. Lizzy, you could very well solve their current predicament and help them create a brand new planet for them!'

'I know,' she replied, 'but…'

'You're a great scientist,' he insisted, 'and don't let any Vulcan say the opposite, you hear me?'

'I hear you,' Carol replied offering him a smile.

'Good,' he said feeling satisfied, 'now let's finish this.'

'Hey Tommy,' she said, 'thanks for everything, I wouldn't have managed without you.'

'You're more than welcome, Lizzy,' he said patting her on her shoulder.

She watched him walking up to Julian, their Chief Engineer, and the two soon started issuing orders left, right and centre to everyone there, with Tommy deciding that since they had come in to work, everyone would do just that. Because of this, Carol found herself free to get everything she needed from their main computer downloaded onto her personal PADD and even make a back up copy of that.

By some miracle, forty five minutes later there was one single middle sized dark brown crate mounted on a pallet, ready to be transported to the Starbase's small shuttlebay. But Carol knew it was too soon to relax, in fact, it was now that the most challenging part of the day started.

The team waited for two members of the Starbase's facilities staff to come in with a turboforklift. When they arrived, they had to go through a full security check, including a full x-ray scan of their vehicle. Once they were cleared, the two men stepped into the laboratory looking slightly annoyed of the overparanoid attitude.

'Let me see your IDs,' Carol asked them while Tommy and Julian protectively stood in front of the crate.

'Come on, beautiful,' one of them said, 'you know who I am, don't you?'

Oh, she internally gasped her disgust, indeed she knew who he was. His name was Gus and he was this very annoying guy who had unilaterally decided she was the woman of his dreams one day, a few months ago, when they'd met at the supermarket while she was trying to keep Jimmy from getting into trouble.

'I do know who you are,' she confirmed coolly, 'but I still need to see those IDs.'

'Alright,' he said and then he snatched his partner's card and then showed them to her, 'happy now?'

'Yes,' she replied, 'please go ahead,' she added indicating the crate.

While they were busy loading the pallet into the turboforklift, Carol took a moment to look at her team.

'Thank you all very much,' she said looking a little sad.

'Good luck,' Julian said, 'and have a safe trip!'

'I'll do my best,' Carol said, 'but you never know, with those starships…'

'Hear, hear,' Tommy intervened, 'that's the reason I don't travel anymore, I don't trust those damn things.'

'Don't tell her that!' Julian complained then, to Carol, she said, 'you'll be fine Dr Kirk, don't listen to him!'

'I know,' she said laughing, 'everything will be fine, I will report back as soon as I arrive at New Vulcan.'

'Okay,' Tommy said while Julian nodded.

'We're done here,' one of the transporters announced.

'Okay,' she replied, 'I guess this is me. I'll see you all soon.'

Grabbing her briefcase, she followed the turboforklift on foot until they met with the two security details that would accompany them all the way to the shuttlebay. Carol was grateful for their presence, not only because she was increasingly worried about the safety of her invention but, also, so she would not be forced to endure the inane conversation Gus would probably try to charm her with today.

A few minutes later, they arrived at the spaceport where she was greeted by the sight of Aunt Martha sitting on one of the small benches of the civilian waiting area. Next to her, she had a small suitcase containing some essentials for Carol and most of Jimmy's clothes. On top of that, she spotted the boy's light blue baby bag and, sitting on the old woman's lap, playing with his brand new teddy bear, she saw her beautiful boy.

'Mummy!' he shouted happily as soon as she saw her.

'I'll be with you in a moment, I promise,' she said while she went in to supervise the loading of the crate into the cargo section of the shuttle. She finished that quickly enough and, after she signed the appropriate transportation documents, they were ready to go. Only then, she returned to the waiting area.

'Are you excited about the trip?' she asked Jimmy taking him in her arms.

'Yep,' he said nodding once.

Kissing him on his cheek, she immediately noticed he was, once again, running a bit of temperature.

'He's fine,' Aunt Martha said, 'just a couple of lines over,' she told her, 'I got the doctor to check him this morning, just in case, and he said that's just that cold he's been having. He gave him an antipyretic and declared him fit for duty, didn't he?' she asked Jimmy cradling his face with her right hand. The boy presented her with his best grin and that made her tell Carol, 'see? You have nothing to worry about.'

'What about the ship?' she asked her, 'did you find out her name?'

'Yeah,' Martha said dismissively, 'it's the USS Republic, or something like that.'

'Oh,' Carol gasped feeling washed with relief, 'I know her Captain, he's a really nice man and loves children.'

'Yeah, well,' Martha said, 'you better get going then, I see the shuttle's almost ready to go.'

'Yes,' Carol said then, to her son, she asked him, 'we're going to go into a big, big starship, you know? You're not going to be scared, are you?'

'Nope,' her boy replied bravely, 'mummy starship!' he exclaimed smiling at her.

'Okay then,' she said forcing herself not to think of the fact that Jimmy's grin, just like the rest of his face, looked exactly like his father's, 'let's go. Aunt Martha,' she added, 'can you please help me with those?'

'Of course,' the older woman said taking the baby bag and the suitcase.

Carol carried Jimmy's fold up pushchair and her briefcase with one arm while she balanced her son in the other and was grateful when the pilot himself helped her store everything away not far from the compartment where they'd loaded the crate containing the Genesis device.

'We'll be departing in four minutes,' he informed her.

'Thank you,' she replied.

Turning round with Jimmy still in her arms, she went to say good bye to Martha who now looked a little sad and a bit worried.

'We'll be back soon,' Carol promised.

'I know,' she said, 'just look after yourself and Jimmy, okay?'

'Of course,' she said.

After this, the woman had to disembark the shuttle and this made Carol go to find her seat. She had picked the one closest to the storage area and, while it was right next to the only bathroom in the shuttle, which was convenient while travelling with a small child, it had no windows so they could no longer see her Aunt.

'It's going to be okay,' she told Jimmy while she helped him settle down on her lap, 'you really like this teddy, don't you?' she asked him watching the tender way in which he hugged what had been Martha's present for his second birthday, only four days before, 'have you decided its name yet?'

'Yep,' the boy said, 'it's Teddy.'

'Teddy?' Carol asked him smiling at him.

'Yep,' he confirmed looking proud of his choice.

'Teddy the teddy,' she said, 'oh well, as long as you like it.'

The boy nodded and pushed Teddy to her face so that she would give it a kiss. She obliged and then Jimmy offered his cheek so that she would kiss him too. Chuckling softly, she thought her boy was becoming quite the lady charmer. Just like his father, she couldn't help but to think.

'We're ready for take off, Dr Kirk,' the shuttle's pilot announced thankfully interrupting the unhappy thought. 'we'll arrive at destination in twenty five minutes, be sure to let me know if you or your boy need anything.'

'Thank you,' she said talking into the nearest intercom.

On the main docking area, the one reserved for the larger ships which occasionally visited the Starbase, the Enterprise could be seen taking a massive amount of space. Onboard the flagship, her Captain and First Officer were busy revising the bridge staff working rota when Yeoman Rand came into the ready room.

'Spaceport has just reported Dr Kirk's shuttle has taken off,' she said.

'Already?' Kirk asked looking genuinely surprised, 'but we just docked ourselves.'

'I know, sir,' she said shrugging her shoulders, 'I guess she must be in a hurry to leave.'

'Yeah, I don't blame her,' Kirk commented, 'I would not want to be locked up in a starbase for too long.'

Spock didn't say anything but the way he raised his eyebrow made it clear he was of the same opinion.

'Let's go then,' Kirk said leaving his PADD on the table and getting up from his chair.

Spock followed him out while Rand collected the PADDs, carefully storing them away in a drawer before she too, started making her way with the two officers. As always, she delighted herself listening to their conversations which more often than not were a lot more entertaining than the ship's boring grapevine.

'She can't be that old,' she heard Kirk commenting, 'I mean, she's got a two year old boy, right?'

'Yes, Captain,' Spock replied patiently.

'I wish I had thought of checking her file at the Starfleet database,' the Captain continued.

'I did, Captain,' Rand intervened.

'Really?' Kirk asked her, 'what does she look like?' he asked her with unreserved curiosity.

'She's blonde like me,' she said enjoying having his attention, 'but, to be honest, she's nothing special.'

'Oh,' Kirk said frowning, 'that's not good then.'

'Sorry, sir,' she said smiling at him.

'Captain,' Spock said, 'I do not believe it is necessary for me to remind you that…'

'I know, I know,' Kirk said, 'I was just joking. Besides, this Dr Kirk or whatever won't be onboard for more than a week but her boy might be fun to have around. Spock, I don't think I have ever seen you interacting with small children. I mean, there was that incident with the Ferengi kids but…'

'I do not think the comparison is appropriate,' Spock said, 'young Ferengi are often extremely spoilt by their mothers and their education, for lack of a better term, dramatically differs from the discipline applied to young Vulcans. I daresay a human child's level of obedience can be found somewhere in between.'

'Yeah,' Kirk agreed, 'that's probably an accurate assessment.'

'In any case,' Spock continued, 'I highly doubt I will be required to interact with this child. I think there are other crewmen who are much better qualified than I am in terms of human childcare.'

'Wait a minute,' Kirk said stopping him right in the middle of the corridor, forcing Rand to come to an abrupt halt too, 'are you saying,' the Captain said sounding indecently amused, 'that you aren't good at something?'

Spock became all prim and proper and, raising one of his eyebrows, he calmly said:

'I am merely referring to the fact that, as a Vulcan, I do not possess the necessary knowledge to…'

'Yeah,' Kirk said interrupting him, 'you're just saying you aren't good at taking care of kids.'

'Well, I…'

'No, no,' Kirk said, 'don't burst my bubble and let me enjoy this for a moment.'

For only an instant, Spock looked a little offended then he shook his head once and started walking again.

'Wait, I'm not done yet!' Kirk complained as he chased after his First Officer.

Seeing this scene, Yeoman Rand tried to repress a chuckle while she remembered, for the umpteenth time that year, how lucky she'd been to land a post that had been highly coveted by most of her female classmates as soon as Starfleet Command advertised the vacancy onboard the Enterprise. It really was a dream job, Rand thought following her incredibly handsome Captain to the ship's main shuttlebay.

The three of them left behind the nice, immaculately clean white corridors that crisscrossed inside the ship's saucer and entered the more industrial looking part of the Enterprise, the part that housed three of the most important sections of the vessel: Engineering, the weapons and shuttle bays.

They had almost made it to their destination when Kirk noticed that Spock's frame looked tenser than usual. This, the Captain knew, was a clear sign that the Vulcan was upset and it made him realise he'd taken the joke a little too far. Stepping closer to him, he gently placed a hand on top of his shoulder and said:

'I was just kidding, you know that, right?'

Spock just twitched his eyebrow up.

'I know that one day,' Kirk continued, 'you're going to be a great father. Hey,' he added, 'if you've managed to put up with me all these years, I'm sure one or two kids won't be so difficult to handle, right?'

'You do make a good point, Captain,' Spock finally said, his body relaxing a bit.

'Er…' Kirk hesitated trying to figure out if Spock was actually agreeing with him or...

'They're landing,' Rand announced pointing at the only incoming shuttle that could be seen from there.

'Oh good,' Kirk said removing his hand from Spock's shoulder, 'at least we won't have to wait for them, right?'

Spock nodded his agreement and the two of them made their way along the walkway in their usual synched step. This indicated the Vulcan was no longer offended and, for that, Kirk felt very happy since he really hated it when Spock was upset, even more so when he'd been the reason of his distress.

By the time they arrived at the touch down area, the shuttle had already landed and its pilot had just finished opening its main door. Kirk was just getting ready to be as polite and welcoming as the occasion required when, out of the shuttle, he saw a toddler running down the ramp as fast as his short legs could carry him. This in itself would have been unremarkable, if only a tad unsafe, considering they were in the middle of a heavily trafficked area but, something about the boy made him freeze right where he stood.

Focusing on the child, it was as time itself stopped and the only thing Kirk's brain managed to process as the kid ran closer to him was that he'd seen that mop of blonde hair, that round little face, the full pink lips and those huge, brilliant blue eyes before. Then it all clicked into place: he saw them every day, when he looked at himself in the mirror. That kid was an almost exact copy to what he had looked like at that age.

He found himself hyperventilating while his brain sent him a message that was utterly impossible and, very slowly, he removed his gaze from the wandering boy forcing himself to look back at the shuttle. There, running down the ramp rushing after the kid, he saw her: the woman who had crushed his heart two years, eight months, three weeks and four days ago.

'Carol,' he somehow managed to say.

To be continued…