Chapter 12
Kirk staggered. Not from the sudden quack of the deck beneath his throbbing leg, but from the overwhelming feeling of loss. McCoy caught him just in time and steered him toward one of the empty chairs. Kirk, if possible, looked even paler than before. He was staring at the now blank view screen as if still seeing the blue fires that consumed his ship.
Gordon had not looked nor come close to the two stricken man. He couldn't bear the air of despair. The feeling of guilt was threatening to consume him as it was. This mission had turned out to be one of his most disquieting one.
"Sensors have overloaded, sir. We only have optic visual. But the Klingons should arrive and assume orbit around Niurex in fifty seconds."
Gordon didn't acknowledge. He was studying the jumbled readouts with unnecessary intensity. Anything to get his mind to focus. They were deaf and blind in the middle of enemies. And that was not a very promising situation.
The doctor still couldn't believe what just happened. It felt like a nightmare. Everything happened so fast. The whole day seemed like a grotesque dream he couldn't wake up from.
McCoy looked at Kirk with concern. The captain had not yet recovered from his stupor And McCoy knew his physical condition had something to do with it. His breathing was shallow, rapid. His stare blank.
If he was still in shock, felt weak and unsteady with the trauma of the day, it all would definitely pale in the face of the agonizing stress that was crushing Kirk.
And he couldn't afford it. Not in this state.
If only he could do something.
"Jim, let's go down. There is nothing for us here. Let's get you to-" "No Bones," Kirk whispered, just as the doctor's hand reached for his arm to help him up. "I want to stay."
McCoy could understand. He didn't insist anymore. Kirk needed some time to come to terms with this. But the doctor in him was restless. He needed to treat his patient.
He knew Kirk. He knew he would not rest until everybody was safe and sound. But he also knew that this helplessness was killing him slowly and relentlessly.
Gordon's orders came from across the bridge,"Plot a course for star base 10. Go to warp eight the moment we have full long range sensor capability."
"yessir."
"...There must be an error. It can't be," the navigator was muttering to himself, "but I thought ..."
"What is it ensign?" Gordon snapped impatiently. "Sir, the computer has not recorded any information about phases being shot." "What? The ship out there exploded!"
"Yes, sir. But apparently the computer had already lost its target and therefore, did not execute my command to fire."
"What do you say? That Klingons fired first? "
"No sir, it seemed like a warp core explosion. And I can still read the enterprise's signature."
"What? Cancel that last order. I want to make sure that ship is destroyed."
Kirk pushed himself weakly out of the chair, his eyes was still glued to the screen, as if seeing something others could not. Or maybe just waiting for something to appear there.
"Scanners are now fully back online, sir."
A moment later, on the screen was the vast stretch of space filled with debris and particles of destroyed ships, Four Klingon war birds and his Enterprise, intact.