I groaned as the world around me came into view. Where the hell am I? Taking in my surroundings, I concluded that I was in an escape pod. Spock fucking marooned me? I yelled in frustration, then realized that the computer was operational at least. I pressed a button. "Computer, where the hell am I?" My voice was raw and shaky, so I had no idea how long I had been out.

"Location: Delta Vega." The computer recited. "Class-M planet. Unsafe. There is a Starfleet outpost fourteen kilometers to the northwest. Remain in your pod until –"

I grabbed the bag of supplies to my right and popped the pod open. "Today just keeps getting better and better." I groaned. I was trapped in by a ten foot wall of ice. I found a handhold, ignored the burn of the cold and hoisted myself up. I made quick work of the wall and before I knew it I was pulling myself up and over the edge, then laid in the snow for a moment. Just as I stood, I barely heard a voice in the distance.

"Hello?!" I yelled out, squinting into the snow storm. "Is someone there?!" I waited for a response, but got none. I felt my legs go numb and remembered then that I was wearing a dress (and short underneath thankfully). Frowning to myself I shrugged the bag off of my shoulder and pulled out a navy green jacket and some fleece leggings. I shrugged it on, then pulled the leggings on. I was going to request to wear the men's uniform after this. I sighed as I felt my body fill with heat. Digging through the bag, I found a pair of thick gloves, a small beanie, a pocket knife and a communicator.

"Hello?" I heard a hoarse voice call out. I saw a green dot coming closer to me. "Hello!?"

I squinted as I called back. "Over here!" I began walking in a straight line as the dot came closer. "Jim?" I called out. "Is that you?"

"Artemis?" He called back. He broke into a sprint and reached me in about a minute. "Artemis, it is you." He embraced me tightly, then pushed me back and held me at arm's length. "You were kicked off the ship too?" He asked, then he looked bashful. "Obviously. Sorry. Why did you get kicked off?"

"You didn't see me punch a security officer?" I asked, pulling my brows together.

"Why did you punch-"

"Reflex." I said, "When I get pushed, I swing normally. Plus, you are right, they should have been helping Pike." I shook my head. "Let's get moving, if we stand too long, we'll freeze." Jim nodded just as we heard a deep growl behind us. We both turned and began running. A grey creature twice the size of an elephant was running towards us. "Could today get any worse?" I panted as it drew closer. Just before it was upon us, the ground shook, sending James and I to the ground. I yelled out as I hit something hard, but Jim pulled me to my feet. I stole a glance at this creature.

This one was twice as big as the last one, sporting a blood red skin, six legs, two forearms with three fingers on each hand. It had a ling snout which housed it dozens of sharp teeth which the creature showed off as it devoured the first creature. We ran as fast as we could and noticed a large hill. I groaned as my side burned, man I was out of shape, but kept up with Jim. We jumped and slid down the hill, tumbling madly, then saw it, our saving grace. A cave about ten feet tall. We got to our feet and began running just as the creature hit the ground behind us. While it was dazed we sprinted into the cave. I grimaced as the pain in my side grew worse and hoped that the creature was too big for the cave.

Sadly, it slid in behind us so the chase continued. Jim kept pushing me forward as we ran around the icicles which littered the cave. Suddenly I heard Jim yell and turned around only to see that the creature had wrapped it's tongue around Jim's ankle. I shouted his name and grabbed his arm, pulling him as he kicked the creature's tongue. Just as the creature began pulling us closer, a tall man appeared with a torch. He rushed forward and waved the flame in the creature's face, causing it to release Jim and run off.

The man stepped back slowly, making sure the creature didn't come back as I help Jim to his feet. That's when I noticed his pointed ears, giving him away as a Vulcan. Finally he turned around and face up. He inhaled and looked Jim in the eye. "James T. Kirk." He said, seemingly slightly surprised.

Jim frowned and pushed me back slightly. I smacked is hand and asked; "Excuse me?"

" How did you find me?" The Vulcan asked.

" How do you know my name?" Jim countered.

" I have been, and always shall be, your friend." He smiled slightly.

" Wha..." Jim said, shaking his head. "Oh, look... uh, I don't know you."

" I am Spock."

" Bullshit." Jim and I said at the same time.

"Please," Spock said, stepping closer. "Let us speak around my fire. It will keep the beasts away, and I am certain that you need to warm up."

Jim turned back and eyed me. I nodded slightly and we followed the Vulcan deeper into the cave.

We came up on a fire and I planted myself on a rock, propping my feet up as Spock began speaking to Jim. "It is remarkably pleasing to see you again, old friend. Especially after the events of today."

Jim squatted next to me. "Uh, sir I appreciate what you did for me today, but, but if you were Spock you would know we're not friends at all. You hate me, you marooned us here for mutiny."

Spock looked confused. "Mutiny?"

I nodded. "Yes."

" You are not the Captain?" Spock asked, squinting at Jim.

Jim shook his head. "No, no. Umm... you're the Captain. Pike was taken hostage."

Spock nodded." By Nero."

" What do you know about him?" Jim asked.

Frowning Spock shook his head."He is a particularly troubled Romulan. Please, allow me. It will be easier."

Spock comes close to Jim and tried to touch his face.

Jim jumps back slightly. "Whoah, whoah. What are you doing?"

" Our minds. One and together." Spock explained, Before Jim could protest, he touches Jim's face and he closed his eyes. They both stood there silently while I just stared.

"Alright." I murmured, standing. "Where is his food?" Just as I got to my feet, I fell. My side was on fire. Lifting up my jacket, I saw blood. "Dammit." I cursed. I lifted my shirt and assessed the damage. The pocket knife had come open and must had stabbed me when I fell. I rushed over to a corner and found nothing expect a few packages of powdered food. I tore off a piece of my dress and wrapped it around my waist, tying it tightly. Grimacing, I knew it would have to do for now. Just as I turned back, Jim jumped away from Spock.

I see tears in Jim's eyes and rush over, confused as to what just happened. "Forgive me." Spock said. "Emotional transferrance is an effect of the mind meld.

" So you do feel?" Jim asked sincerely.

Spock nodded. "Yes. "

" Going back in time," Jim breathed. "You changed all our lives."

"You are from the future?" I asked, looking at Spock.

He nodded. "Now it is an alternate future, but a future nevertheless."

I opened my mouth to ask more questions, but Spock spoke first. "Jim,-" He frowned. "I am sorry to say I have never met you. What is your name?"

"Artemis." I answered.

He nodded. "Jim, Artemis, we must go. There is a Starfleet outpost not far from here."

Jim turned as Spock began to walk out of the cave. "Wait. Where you came from, did I know my father? "

" Yes." Spock answered."You often spoke of him as being your inspiration for joining Starfleet. He proudly lived to see you become Captain of the Enterprise."

Jim smiled to himself. "Captain? "

Spock nodded. "Of a ship we must return you to as soon as possible."

Prying open a door, we eneter a seemingly abandoned Starfleet outpost. "Hello?" Jim called out, slowly leading the way.

A small alien comes up and greets up. He is speaking a foreign tongue, however we realize that he wants us to follow him and comply. He leads us to an open warehouse where he has obviously been living for a while. We walk past some tables then a sleeping man comes into view. The alien then smack the man's legs, causing him to grunt. He removes the scarf from his eyes, then frowns up at us.

" You realize how unacceptable this is?" He demands calmly in a scottish accent.

" Fascinating." Spock breathes.

"What?' Kirk asks, confused.

" Yeah, I'm sure you're just doing your job, but could you not come a wee bit sooner?" He asked, livid. "Six months I've been here, living off Starfleet protein nibs and a promise of a good meal. And I know exactly what's going on here, okay. Punishment, isn't it? Ongoing, for something that was clearly an accident."

" You are Montgomery Scott. " Spock states clearly.

Jim turns to Spock. "You know him?"

The man, Scott, nods. "Aye, that's me. You're in the right place. Unless there's another hard-working, equally starved Starfleet officer around. "

The small alien finally speaks up. "Me."

Scott turns to the small alien. " Keenser, shut up! You don't eat anything. You can eat like a bean, and you're done. I'm talking about food. Real food. But, you're here now, so thank you. Where is it? "

" You are, in fact, the Mister Scott who postulated the theory of transwarp beaming." Spock said.

Scott nodded and pointed at the Vulcan. "That's what I'm talking about. How'd you think I wound up here? I had a little debate with my instructor on the issue of relativistic physics and how it pertains to subspace travel. He seemed to think that the range of transporting something like a, like a grapefruit, was limited to about a hundred miles. I told him that I could not only beam a grapefruit from one planet to the adjacent planet in the same system, which is easy by the way, I could do it with a lifeform. So, I tested it on Admiral Archer's prized beagle.

"Wait," Kirk said, stepping towards Mr. Scott. "I know that dog. What happened to it?"

Mr. Scott shrugged. "I'll tell you when it reappears. I don't know." He frowned. "I do feel guilty about that."

" What if I told you that your transwarp theory was correct?" Spock asked. "That it is indeed possible to beam onto a ship that is travelling at warp speed?"

Mr. Scott scoffed. "I think if that equation had been discovered, I'd have heard about it."

Spock smiled to himself. "The reason you haven't heard about it, Mister Scott, is because you haven't discovered it yet."

Mr. Scott frowned. " I'm a, uh, what..." He took a deep breath. "Are you from the future?"

Jim nodded. "Yeah. He is,"

"We're not." I added.

" Well that's brilliant." Mr. Scott boasted. "Do they still have sandwiches there?"

We made out way to the transport area as Mr. Scott rambled on. We had been brought up to speed by Jim and Spock. "Well, she's a wee bit dodgy." Mr. Scott said. "Shield emitters are totally bandjacked(?), as well as a few other things. In you go. So, the Enterprise has had its maiden voyage, has it? She is one well endowed lady. I'd like to get my hands on her ample nacelles, if you'll pardon the engineering parlance." Mr. Scott then turned to Spock. "Except, the thing is, even if I believed you, right, where you're from, what I've done, I don't, by the way, you're still talking about beaming aboard the Enterprise while she's traveling faster-than-light, without a proper receiving pattern." He then turned to Keenser. "Get off there! It's not a climbing tree!" He redirected his attention back to the Vulcan. " The notion of transwarp beaming is like, trying to hit a bullet with a smaller bullet whilst wearing a blindfold, riding a horse." Spock sat down and typed something in to the computer. "What's that?"

" Your equation for achieving transwarp beaming." Spock explained.

" Imagine that." Mr. Scott murmured. "It never occurred to me to think of space as the thing that was moving."

As Mr. Scott gawked at the equation, Jim turned to Spock. "You're coming with us, right?"

Spock shook his head. "No, Jim. That is not my destiny."

"Your dest..." Jim shook his head. "He... the other Spock is not going to believe me. Only you can explain what's gonna happen."

Spock's expression turned grave. "Under no circumstances, can he be aware of my existence. You must promise me this."

I felt woozy as I felt more blood trickle down my side.

Jim inhaled deeply. "You're telling me I, I can't tell you that I'm following your own orders. Why not? What happens?"

Spock kept his poker face. "Jim, this is one rule you cannot break. To stop Nero, you alone must take command of your ship."

"How?" Jim demanded. "Over your dead body?"

"Preferably not." Spock shook his head. "However, there is Starfleet regulation six-one-nine. Six-one-nine states that any command officer who's emotionally compromised by the mission at hand, must resign said command. "

"Isn't that what I said earlier?" I grumbled.

Jim shot me a look. "So, so you're saying that I have to emotionally compromise you guys?"

"Idiot." I murmur.

" Jim, I just lost my planet." Spock said, letting his emotions show. "I can tell you, I am emotionally compromised. What you must do is get me to show it."

" Aye then, Laddie." Mr. Soctt said, coming over to us. "Live or die, let's get this over with."

We materialize on the ship. It takes a lot out of me as I feel my side burn. I press into it, hoping that I'm not bleeding any worse.

"Mr. Scott!" I heard Kirk shout. Turning, I saw Mr. Scott stuck in the coolant pipes.

"Mister Scott, can you hear me!" Jim asks. He frowns as Mr. Scott is whooshed away by the current. "Uh... uh.. hold on a second! Oh no. Don't worry I... Oh. No, no!"

I sit on the floor, trying to ctach my breath as Jim runs to the emergency release valve and pressed the button. An automated voice came over a speaker. "Turbine release valve activated."

Mr. Scot falls to the floor. "Are you alright?" I call out.

"My heads buzzing, and I'm soaked, but otherwise I'm fine!" Mr. Scott smiled, adrenaline coursing through his veins.

Jim comes over to me as I'm standing up. "Are you alright?" He asks, looking me in the eyes. I nod, opting not to tell him right now, and we rush up to the metal scaffolding to try and make It out as alarms blaze. Just as we've though we made it, we are cornered by four security officers.

"Come with me, cupcake." The balding one says as if it hold some deeper meaning.

We are led onto the bridge where the Spock from out timeline is waiting. "Who are you?" He demands, looking at Mr. Scott.

"I'm with him." He answers vaguely.

"He's with me." Jim reaffirmed.

" We're travelling at warp speed." Spock said, still looking at Mr. Scott. How did you manage to beam aboard this ship?"

" You're the genius," Jim spat. "You figure it out."

" As Acting Captain of this vessel," Spock started. "I order you to answer the question."

Jim smiled as if he was a child. "Well I'm not telling, Acting Captain. What di-" Spock frowned slightly, his mask cracking. "What, now, that doesn't frustrate you, does it? My lack of cooperation. That, that doesn't make you angry?" I was having trouble staying upright at this point.I knew there was blood at my feet, however everyone's eyes were raised to the argument going on.

Spock decides to try a different tactic and turns once again to Mr. Scott. "Are you a member of Starfleet?"

Mr. Scott holds up a finger. "I.. um.. yes. Can I get a towel, please?"

Spock's features darken. "Under penalty of court martial, I order you to explain to me how you were able to beam aboard this ship while moving at warp."

Mr. Scott frowns. "Well..."

" Don't answer him." Jim commanded.

Spock looked dangerous now. "You will answer me."

Mr. Scott takes a step back. "I'd rather not take sides."

Jim saw his opening and went for it. "What is it with you, Spock? Hmm? Your planet was just destroyed, your mother murdered, and you're not even upset."

" If you're presuming that these experiences in any way impede my ability to command this ship, you are mistaken. "

Jim leaned in closer." And yet you were the one who said fear was necessary for command. Did you see his ship? Do you see what he did? "

"Yes, of course I did. "

" So," Jim said, taking another step. "Are you afraid or aren't you?"

" I will not allow you to lecture me about the merits of emotion. "

Jim smiled like a madman. "Then why don't you stop me."

" Step away from me, Mr.-"

Jim took another step. "What is it like not to feel anger or heartbreak or the need to stop at nothing to avenge the death of the woman who gave birth to you?"

" Back away from me... " Spock warned.

" You feel nothing!" Jim spat. "It must not even compute for you! You never loved her!"

Spock roared as he punched Jim in the face. I recoiled, as did Mr. Scott as a fight broke out. Spock grabbed Kirk by the shirt and threw him to the side. He then strode over and thew a couple punches that Jim blocked. Spock then thought lower and caught him square in the stomach, causing him to fall back. Spock roared once again and brought a fist down, meaning to smash Jim's face, but Jim was able to keep him off, but only for a moment as Spock punched him in the thorat, sending him careening back onto a panel. As Jim stood, Spock beat him back down, then wrapped his hand around Jim's throat.

Tears were in my eyes as Spock kept choking Jim. Everyone was silent as we listened to Jim's ragged breathing. Finally Spock's father spoke up. "Spock! "

Spock released the man and stepped back. He seemed terrified of himself for a moment, then took a step back. Jim coughed as oxygen reached his lungs once again. We stood in silence for a long moment as Jim stood back up. " I am no longer fit for duty." Spock began. "I hereby relinquish my command, based on the fact that I have been emotionally compromised. Please note the time and date in the ship's log."
Spock then leaves, and his father follows.

We stood in silence for a moment, I waved on my feet, barely catching myself as Mr. Scott yelled. "I like this ship! You know, it's exciting."

Bones frowned disapprovingly. "Well, congratulations, Jim. Now we've got no Captain and no goddamn first officer to replace him."

Jim looks at his friend grimly. "Yeah we do." Jim walked over and sat in the captain's chair."

"What?" Dr. McCoy asked, comfused.

Sulu turned to the doctor. "Pike made him first officer."

Bones rolled his eyes as I made a face at him. "You've got to be kidding me."

" Thanks for the support." Jim said flatly.

Bones noticed the blood running down my side and pulled me away. As we left I heard Jim's voice over the speakers."Attention crew of the Enterprise, this is James Spock has resigned commission and advanced me to Acting Captain. I know you were all expecting to regroup with fleet, but I'm ordering a pursuit course of the enemy ship to Earth. I want all departments at battle stations and ready in ten minutes. Either we're going down, or they are. Kirk out."