Chapter 10: Cold Comforts

Doctor Leonard "Bones" McCoy shut his eyes as he pinched his brow. Though he'd not admit it to anyone present his head was thumping as his mind whirred in worry.

His Captain and one of his best friends (who just so happened to be the former's daughter) were both held hostage on board a psychotic Romulan's ship while they were standing about waiting for a solid order to be patched through.

Needless to say it was with great aggravation that he opened his eyes to glower after Spock's pacing form.

"Have you confirmed that Nero is headed for Earth?" the half-Vulcan asked Uhura who was seated at her communications console.

"Their trajectory suggests no other destination, Captain"

"Thank you lieutenant" Spock nodded only for Jim Kirk to speak up from where he was seated in the captain's chair, an unusually grim expression on his face.

"Earth may be his next stop, but we have to assume that every Federation planet's a target"

"Get out of the chair" Spock clipped as he paced by said chair.

Jim scowled but nonetheless stood up, only to start pacing as well as Chekov made to pipe in from the Navigators seat.

"Well if the Federation is a target why didn't they destroy us?"

"Why would they?" Sulu countered from his seat beside his friend "Why waste a weapon, we obviously weren't a threat"

"That is not it" Spock corrected him as he made to stride over to the large bridge view screen "He said he wanted me to see something, the destruction of my home-planet"

"And how the hell did they do that by the way?" Leonard growled from where he stood. "I mean, where did the Romulans get that kind of weaponry?"

"The Engineering comprehension necessary to artificially create a black hole may suggest an answer" Spock turned round to face the bridge at large "Such technology could theoretically be manipulated to create a tunnel through space time"

"Dammit man, I'm a doctor not a physicist" Leonard snapped, his already thin restraint cracking "Are you actually suggesting they're from the future?"

"If you eliminate the impossible" Spock replied calmly "whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth"

"How poetic" Leonard grumbled just as Jim made to steamroll over him.

"Then what would an angry future Romulan want with Captain Pike and Layla?"

"Well as Captain, he does know the details of Starfleet's defences" Sulu suggested quietly "And since Layla is the Captain's daughter it would be a logical move for the Romunlans to use her as either ransom or as bait"

Though that in itself was an obvious answer, Jim still had to do his best to gulp down the unpleasant lump that had been throbbing in the back of his throat as he stated boldly.

"We need to catch up to that ship. Disable it, take it over and get both of them back"

"We are technologically outmatched in every way. Any rescue attempt would be illogical" Spock parried his voice taking on a slightly stern tone.

"And Nero's ship would have to drop out of warp for us to overtake them." Chekov pointed out to his screen before him to show the stats to the other officers.

But Jim was not deterred.

"Then what about assigning engineering crews to try and boost our warp yield?"

"Remaining crew are being used to repair radiation leaks on lower decks and damage to subspace communications without which we cannot-" Spock raised his voice over Jim's as the latter tried to interrupt him. "Contact Starfleet. We have to contact the rest of Starfleet. To balance the terms of the next engagement-"

"There won't be a next engagement! By the time we've gathered it will be too late and Nero would have killed them both!" Jim cried out over the top of him his face a mask of fear and anger "You say he's from the future and knows what's gonna happen? Then the logical thing to do is to be unpredictable"

"You are assuming that Nero knows how events are predicted to unfold" Spock's brow furrowed ever so slightly, the only sign of his irritation with the junior officer "On the contrary, Nero's very presence has altered the flow of history, beginning with the attack of the U.S.S. Kelvin culminating in the events of today, thereby creating an entire chain of incidents that cannot be anticipated by either party"

"An alternate reality" Uhura breathed in dawning comprehension as she got up out of her seat.

"Precisely" Spock nodded turning away from an irate Jim and back to the captain's chair "Whatever our lives might have been, if the time continuum was disrupted, our destinies have changed. Mr Sulu, plot a course for the Laurentian system, warp factor three."

"Spock don't do that" Jim called his face paling as dread seeped through every fibre of his being "Running back to the rest of the fleet for a confab is a massive waste of time"

"These are the orders issued by Captain Pike when he left the ship"

"He also ordered us to go back and get him. Spock you are Captain now! You have to make-"

"I am aware of my responsibilities Mr Kirk-"

"Every second we waste, Nero's getting closer to his next target"

"That is correct, and why I'm instructing you to accept the fact that that I alone am in command-" Spock steamrolled once more over the younger man who wasted no time in yelling back, not heeding Leonard's yells.

"Jim he's the captain!"

"I will not allow us to go backwards away from the problem instead of hunting Nero down!"

Spock jumped to his feet quickly, his face impassive but firm.

"Security, escort him out"

At once two security personnel dressed in operations red strode forwards and grabbed the junior officers arms.

Leonard's eyes shut with dismay as he watched his friend struggle hard against the grips of his captors, his face a mask of fury and melancholy as he shouted:

"So you're just going to leave them both there to die?! Knowing full well that you could save the both of them! Are their lives really worth that little?!"

There was a deadly silence in which all eyes turned to Spock whose face was stiller than stone.

When he spoke his voice was as cold and sharp as an icicle.

"Captain Pike and Cadet Pike were both aware of the risks of their respective missions. Both were trained to be prepared for such hostile scenarios. I am sure that they both would understand how their great sacrifice will help us achieve our objectives."

Something in Jim's brain snapped.

He lunged forwards, yanking so hard against both his captors that they stumbled even as he began to shove them off ferociously.

Eventually he managed to wrench an arm out and use it to sweep one of the officers down so that they hit the floor hard.

"Jim!" Leonard called as another security officer rushed forwards only to get punched by his distressed captive.

Jim however did not hear anything. His blood was pounding in his ears as fear, anger and determination all raged through his system, driving all sense of reason out of mind.

Sacrifice…SACRIFICE?!

How could Spock say that? How could he even contemplate something so cold, so heartless? How could he just abandon two of his crew as if they were merely animals to be slaughtered upon an alter? No…not how could he…How dare he!

But even as he saw the blue of a science shirt come swiftly up to him through the corner of his eye there was a hard pinch to his sternum and neck.

At once he felt his body go stock still, his vision turned to black and his legs buckled as a cold emotionless voice clipped.

"Get him off this ship"

"We really need to get off this ship" Hawke hissed angrily as they turned another corner, only to come face to face with another computer docked room.

"You're telling me" Layla grunted dragging him back to stand flat against a wall as some Romulans guards made to come closer to their corridor.

She bit her lip, gripping her phaser rifle tight in her hands as they passed by them. However they were fortunate. Hers and Hawke's outfits were so dark that they blended in with the dark walls quite well.

As soon as they were out of sight they both peeled themselves from the walls.

"Jesus just how big is this place?" Layla whispered. From the outside the Narada had been gargantuan in size. But inside it felt larger than any city, indeed it felt like she were walking about a star-base. A very dark very disturbing city.

She gulped as she and Hawke made to sneak their way along the outskirts of the rooms consoles, their coat hoods pulled up to obscure their faces from view.

As they passed by a particular console she managed to catch a snippet of conversation in rapid Romulan.

She frowned a little as she tried to decipher a phrase, but it was difficult.

From her training at the Academy she knew a fair amount of both Klingon and Vulcan, but since she only had started a beginners course at the beginning of this semester she knew very little Romulan.

Layla sighed as she tried to call up that memory to her racing mind.

It had only been two weeks since Uhura had given her that tuition in basic Romulan, but already it felt like ten lifetimes had passed.

Finally after a whole minute of listening she heard one key word: nniet

Beam…the Transporter beam...

Layla looked around. Sure enough there on the other side of the room was a transporter pad.

It wasn't the same as the Enterprises. It wasn't shiny and new. This was rough and hard and dark just like the rest of the Narada. Also, Layla couldn't help but notice, it seemed to be equipped with much more sophisticated systems.

Crap…this is going to be harder than I thought…

She chanced a glance back at Hawke who in turn was looking at the consoles before them.

It was mostly empty, save for two lone Romulans who seemed to be arguing in front of the console before the transporter pads.

One of them was obviously the operator, Layla could tell by the way he kept gesturing to the machine, but the other seemed to be a guard…or at least not an operator, because he seemed not to care for what the other was saying. He only shook his head and kept barking "dhat [No]" followed by something that probably was "don't argue just do it"

"No one else here" Hawke muttered and Layla smirked.

"You shoot the guard I'll deal with the operator."

"How do you know he's the operator?" Hawke quirked a brow.

"Because he's working the transporter." Layla rolled her eyes as said Romulan made to fiddle with controls. "Now get ready to shoot. And run"

Hawke shut his mouth quickly and held up his phaser.

Good technique

Layla couldn't help but think as she watched him point the firearm carefully in the gap between two consoles.

The shot was quick and precise and before either Romulan knew what was happening the guard was blasted back to the floor.

The operator yelled loudly in panic just as Layla darted forwards. Deftly she jumped over consoles, using one of the stations to launch herself at the Operator, who was trying to open up a channel to another part of the ship.

"khoi [stop]" Layla spat as she managed to grab the male in a headlock, holding one of her knives to his neck. "iurret [silence]"

At once he fell silent, gulping as Hawke made to stride forwards to stand guard over the fallen Romulan by the side

"nniet" she nodded to the transporter operator who shook his head vigorously only to wince as the younger woman made to carefully press her knife into his neck, hissing darkly.

"nniet" As the blade lightly grazed at his skin, a small tendril of green blood slid down his skin."yy'a"

The Romulan's face paled to the colour of parchment.

"nniet?" Layla asked once more, smirking when this time her captive made to nod, his eyes fearful.

"So will he help us?" Hawke narrowed his eyes.

"I think so" Layla then shoved the operator back towards his console.

He trembled as he worked, his fingers deftly moving over the screen as he made to type in co-ordinates.

"Stop" Layla barked before he could punch it into the system.

Quickly she stepped forwards and looked over the destination data.

Delta Vega…

Her brow furrowed as she looked over the recorded information that flashed beside the image.

She couldn't read much of the other information, however she recognised enough to figure out that according to the Log it was the last co-ordinates that had been punched in.

Was it an outpost?

But no. it couldn't be one.

She frowned.

From the images of the planet she was seeing, Delta Vega looked to be a complete icy wasteland, an environment very much disliked by Romulans, who, like their Vulcan cousins, preferred much hotter desert like climates.

So then why had they beamed over there?

She heard a rustling and she whipped around just in time to see the Romulan beside her quickly hit a button on his console just as the guard Hawke had stunned sprung to his feet"

"NO!"

There was a flash of bright light and then darkness and stillness.

A lone figure of an old man stood quietly on the icy tundra.

His wrinkled brown eyes were blank and staring as they looked into the blue grey of the sky above. Whatever spark of life had long since vanished in their depths.

It was gone.

The distant red and orange planet that had been hovering in the sky…was gone…

He had seen it been swallowed up as it imploded upon itself, the great globe shape crumbling like a ball of dry aged clay.

Had he not had such mastery over his emotions, the man might have shed a tear, but he did not.

He could not.

His grief was too deep for that.

He didn't know how long he'd been standing there in that spot, staring out ahead of him.

Nor did he honestly seem to care that his ears, which were pointed, were beginning to get cold in the chill air.

He didn't even notice, not till the last moment, that there was something beginning to glow brightly on the ground barely ten meters away.

He was quick to step back as three figures materialised on the snowy ground.

Two were male, one a grim faced romulan and the other a pale haired grey eyed human.

He was doing his best to push off the Romulan from the body of a human girl with long black hair and icy blue eyes.

The elderly humanoid's eyes widened at the sight of those eyes.

No…but it couldn't be…

But as he watched, those icy eyes glared solidly at the Romulan as he was shoved off, green blood splattering the snow from a wound made by the girl's dagger.

"Shit!" She swore with a trembling sigh as she looked over her body which was also covered in green fluid. "That's the second time today-"

"Second time?" the human boy looked rather disturbed even as he made to stand to his feet.

Then he saw the other humanoid standing there.

As quick as lightning the elder made to put both his hands up in surrender as the younger male grabbed the phaser rifle and held it up to shoot.

However the girl was quick to force the weapon's barrel down.

"Don't! He's not one of Nero's"

"How can you be sure?" The boy narrowed his eyes warily as did the girl's as she locked her eyes on the older male.

Her eyes were swift to search his features, the swept up eyebrows, the greying but very neat practical hairstyle, the almost blank expression on his face.

"Because he's a Vulcan" Her voice was hard and sharp, however the Vulcan man did not flinch one bit. Indeed his eyes were curious as he made to look over the form of the girl.

Underneath the long black trench coat she wore, he could distinctly make out a form fitting black Environmental Suit, with a black parachute pack that had a small arrow like insignia on the front clasp.

"You are from Starfleet?" he asked quietly and she nodded.

"And you are from the Vulcan high council I'm guessing"

"Not quite" The Vulcan shook his head slightly.

"The Vulcan Science Academy?"

"In a way" the elderly Vulcan's eyes softened as he glanced over the insignia on her pack. "Who are you?"

Layla paused for a bit before answering. What the hell did he mean in a way? And why were those brown eyes so familiar to her?

"I'm Lieutenant Layla Pike, Deputy Chief of Security of the U.S.S. Enterprise"

The brown eyes of the Vulcan widened ever so slightly as his whole body stiffened.

"The Enterprise?" he murmured softly and Layla was surprised to hear the smallest of wavers in what should have been an emotionless voice.

As he turned to look at Hawke, the younger man's grip tightened carefully over his weapon in his hands and clipped sternly.

"I'm Hawke, and if you don't tell me your name I will shoot"

"No he won't" Layla snapped once more pushing down on the phaser barrel with a hard glare. "But he does have a point. Who are you? And why are you down here?"

However the Vulcan man did not seem phased as he muttered softly.

"You'd never believe me if I told you both answers"

"Oh yeah?" Layla snorted looking at him directly in the eye "try me"

Thud!

"Ugh! You gotta be kidding me?" Jim Kirk groaned as he pulled himself up from the large icy ditch.

"Come on," Jim growled angrily to himself as he made to search his survival satchel for something warm, his fingers shaking even as they fumbled with the zip.

It was freezing cold, his fingers were almost purple and well on the way to being frostbitten from gripping the hard ice and snow in his hands as he had climbed up to the surface.

Eventually he found a rather thick fur lined hooded jacket and gloves stuffed right at the bottom.

With a shiver he quickly shrugged it on, sighing heavily as his body was encased by warmth.

Man. When the computer had said this was a frigid wasteland, or rather a hazardous class M planet (same difference), he knew it wasn't going to be easy.

But still, he grimaced, couldn't have that pointy eared cold blooded bastard of a captain have marooned him close to some form of civilisation? Even a primitive hermit with only a campfire would be better than the frozen tundra about him!

"Asshole!" he muttered darkly as he made to grab a small communicator in his hands before stuffing the rest of the supplies, which were mostly protein and food sticks, into his pockets which he closed up tight and secure.

As he made to toss the now empty bag back into the ditch, a gust of chilly wind passed him and he looked up just in time to see the sky go grey with building clouds.

Brilliant! Just brilliant! I always wanted to freeze to death.

He thought bitterly as he pulled his hood up over his head and began the long hard slog.

The walk was laborious and hard, what with how heavy the planet's gravity was. It did not help that the winds picked up and threw the snow that fell and swirled heavily around him in the chilling air.

As he stumbled along he flipped out his communicator and began to speak into it.

Even if it would take a while for a signal to reach in this weather, it would still be picked up sooner or later.

"Stardate 2258. 42! Or 44…or whatever" he announced loudly over the roaring winds "Acting Captain Spock has marooned me on Delta Vega in what I believe to be a violation of Security Protocol 49.09 governing the treatment of prisoners aboard a star-"

There was a strange wailing howl.

Jim stopped speaking and wheeled about wildly.

The sound had come from behind him. From a small dark distant spot.

He made to take a step closer to squint only for his feet to hit something liquid.

He looked down and gasped in horror.

There, right under his feet was a splatter of what appeared to be blood. However unlike normal human blood which was red, this one was a vivid green.

It stood out starkly against the white as did the torn up shreds of dark clothes that seemed to lead in a trail towards the direction he was just looking in.

Jim gulped as his eyes trailed over the path only to see that what had once been a small dot was now closer than before…and quickly getting bigger in size.

He wasn't in a deserted tundra…he was in the middle of a feeding ground…

…Oh crap…

His eyes widened in horror as he managed to make sense of a large furry beast running towards him, its mouth open, razor sharp teeth framing a gaping dark hole that was its throat as it let loose a resounding roar, green blood dripping from its jaws.

With a yell of panic Jim began to sprint for his life.

However it wasn't enough. He had two legs and the beast had four, and it was using them to great effect.

They were larger, stronger, more sure of themselves on this terrain than he was, as was proven when the human made to trip over his feet.

He did his best to ignore the roaring behind him as he scrambled to his feet, only to trip again as something massive shook the ground beneath him.

He turned and gaped in horror as something red and massive clamped about the furry creature who let out a shrieking roar of pain as large teeth made to sink into its flesh.

Jim spluttered in shock as the bigger red monster, a strange arachnid/crab/beetle like creature, flung the smaller beast aside so that it crashed into a block of ice.

Alright so you've killed your prey! Go on and eat it!

Jim silently prayed, but as usual, the universe never seemed to listen to him.

The red beast turned at the sight of him and at once a great big mouth opened like a chasm to roar into his face, before crawling forwards on its claw like limbs towards him.

Though he would deny it in later years, Jim screamed loudly as he made to get back onto his feet and run helter skelter away from the thing, which chased him hot on his heels.

Why me?! Why bloody me?!

He thought as he stumbled over the ice and snow, his feet thudding hard, his heart pounding frantically as adrenaline pumped through him.

Then suddenly his foot hit mid-air and his body began to fall,

In his panic, Jim twisted round just in time for his back to hit something cold and hard.

He bounced off the surface hard, wincing in pain as he began to roll down the large slope that stretched out beneath him.

It did not help his fear when he saw in the corner of his eye, the red monster roll down after him shrieking with bloodlust and hunger. As it spun, its pincer legs struck hard in an attempt to find their footing even as both it and his prey hit the solid flat ground at the bottom of the hill.

Jim quickly struggled to his feet, doing his best not to slip and slide as he darted away from the deadly pursuer behind him and towards what looked like a giant mountian of snow in which was set a small but dark-

Cave!

His heart soared, and with a new found vigour he began to sprint like he never sprinted before, right into the gaping dark hole.

He could've cried for joy as he felt the winds still about him, but he did not.

The beast was still right on his tail, indeed it smashed through the icy wall right after him, as he made to slide through a small chasm in one of the many solid cold walls about him.

Yes! I can lose him if I just keep-

But no sooner had the thought crossed his mind, did he feel something wet slither about his ankle.

He tripped his screams of terror mingling with the creatures screeches as it dragged him back towards its gaping mouth with its long whip like elastic tongue.

This is it!

Jim thought as he tried and failed to grab hold of an icy pillar close by.

I'm done for! I can't-

Suddenly, his body stopped dragging over the snow and the beast gave a loud shriek.

Jim gasped and struggled as he felt a pair of hands turn him over to his back as voice made to shout loudly over the creature.

"HEY!"

Jim blinked.

The red creature was roaring and moving again. But this time it was trying to back away, its mouth open more in a hiss as two humanoid figures advanced on it. Each were holding a flaming torch which they brandished fiercely at the monster, which in turn cringed and hissed, its tongue flicking out as it dripped with blood. It looked to have been severed off.

"Jim"

Jim froze as the voice hit his ear. It was the voice of a girl…a very familiar voice…and were those hands holding onto him small?

He looked up at the person standing over him and he felt his heart freeze in his chest.

Crouching over him was a girl, with long black hair, pale skin and icy blue eyes and dressed in a black EV suit.

"Layla" he breathed his eyes wider than saucers as he sat up. "I-It's you?! B-But h-how-"

"It's a long story" Layla sighed heavily, almost in relief as she stood up and held out her hand.

Jim took it and no sooner had he clambered to his feet did he tug the young girl towards him.

Layla couldn't help but smile as she felt her friend wrap his arms around her tight before leaning his head down to whisper.

"You're ok?"

"Yeah…yeah I am" Layla smiled softly into his jacket only to feel him sigh heavily. "Jim?"

"Just, don't move for a minute" Jim muttered.

Relief was all he could feel right now. Relief from a great weight that had been weighing on him ever since he'd returned from that godforsaken drill.

"God you are one lucky bastard" he mumbled as he rested his chin on top of her dark head of hair.

Layla giggled a little at that but still leaned into him, her own arms raising up to return the hug.

They both stayed like that for a while, just hugging, not heeding the racket occurring barely a few meters away as both their unknown comrades, an elderly Vulcan and a young human man with white blonde hair, made to scare the red beast off back into the blizzard.

When they turned round to look at the two young Starfleet officer's they both exchanged odd looks, both of which were caught by Jim who frowned warily.

"Lay…"

"Hmm?" Layla grunted into his jacket.

"Who are these guys?"

"Oh…" Layla gulped. In the wake of finding her best friend, she had totally forgotten about her two new companions.

She gingerly peeled herself off of Jim, doing her best to keep an embarrassed flush from creeping over her face as she made to look at the two of them, the elder of whom made to speak first.

"James T. Kirk."

His voice was calm, but Layla and Jim could see that in those brown eyes, a spark of something bright had just been lit up.

"Excuse me? But how do you know…" Jim's voice fell away as he looked the Vulcan over.

He could never recall ever meeting a person like this. And if he did, he would've definitely remembered the meeting. Very few Vulcans were ever seen save in diplomatic circumstances, let alone one so old.

But the Vulcan man just stared at them, the corners of his mouth ever so slightly twitching upwards as he stepped forwards.

"I have been, and always shall be, your friend"

"Say what?" the human man beside the Vulcan quirked a brow at Layla who shrugged.

But the Vulcan man ignored them, his eyes solely fixed only on Jim as he said.

"I am Spock."

…

…

…

"Bullshit"

TADAA! we're finally at the middle.

and on that note i would like to contribute this chapter in a very much belated salute to the great Leonard Nimoy. he will be sorely missed by all star trek fans.

Rest in peace man.

:'(

see you guys later