Jim's face frowned lightly, "why'd she follow him?" He turned to look at Marie.
She paused before giving him a devilish smile. "Why do you think?"
Jim's mouth fell, "No. Not with him."
Marie started laughing, "you should see your face. Come on, they have been friends for a few years. She's just worried about him." She watched him sigh in relief before turning back to her screens. If only he knew the truth, she smirked to herself.
"So I did just save us back there." Marie could feel his breath tickling her ear.
"Really? Didn't even notice," she remarked casually.
"Don't I get a reward?"
Slowly Marie turned to look at him, her face was close to his. "You know what?" She licked her lips moving a little closer.
Jim swallowed, his eyes focused on her lips.
Marie barely brushed her lips against his before whispering, "No." She smiled and pulled back, patting his cheek lightly. She watched him straighten with a groan before walking off. That felt good, she laughed to herself.
Jasmine stared at Spock as the elevator doors closed. His eyes stared right back at her, but they were blank, she couldn't see how he was feeling. Stepping closer, she leaned over and pressed the hold button. Jasmine could feel the tears trying to for but she pushed them back. Her hands caressed his face, her fingertips lightly touching his ears. "I'm so sorry."
Leaning up she softly kissed Spock's lips, trailing over his cheek as she pulls him into a hug. She felt his hands grip onto her tightly before slowly pulling her away. It hurt knowing that his Vulcan side was controlling his emotions, it made it hard for her to comfort him when he was like that.
Looking back at him, "What do you want me to do? What do you need from me?"
Spock pulled her hands off his shoulders, staring at them. "I need everyone to keep performing admirably," His eyes found here again.
Jasmine just nodded, "Of course."
She reached up to give him a final kiss, some relief as she felt Spock kiss her back. Sliding back onto her heels she watch Spock press for the elevator to start again. Once the doors opened Spock quickly walked out, leaving Jasmine alone with her thoughts.
"Have you confirmed that Nero is headed for earth?" Spock spoke as he strolled around the bridge.
Everyone had gathered together to discuss their next plan of action. "His trajectory suggests no other destination, Captain," Marie turned toward him as she replied.
"Thank you, Lieutenant," Spock gave her a small nod in acknowledgement.
Marie smiled softly, she accepted any appraisal he was willing to give. Shifting her eyes, she saw Jim sitting in the captain's chair as if it was his.
"Earth may be his next stop, but we have to assume that every Federation planet is a target."
Spock's eyes glanced at Jim as he walked closer to him, "Out of the chair."
Jim looked at Spock in annoyance before standing up and walking closer to Jasmine. Looking at him she just shook her head; Jim gave her a look and nudged her.
"If the Federation is a target, why didn't they just destroy us?" Marie stepped forward.
"Obviously we weren't a threat, especially against those weapons," Jasmine replied. Her eyes watched as Spock walked closer to the front screen.
"That's not it. He said that he wanted me to see something. The destruction of my home planet."
"How the hell did they do that by the way?" Everyone's attention went to Bones and his outburst.
Marie couldn't help but grin, she always loved how Bones was so...country. "Where did the Romulans get that kind of weaponry?" Bones finished crossing his arms and giving off a "serious" face.
"The engineering comprehension necessary to artificially create a black hole may suggest an answer."
Jasmine would have rolled her eyes at his technical description of an answer if she wasn't curious to know what he was actually implying.
"Such technology could theoretically be manipulated to create a tunnel through space time."
"Damn it man I'm a doctor not a physicist. Are you actually suggesting they are from the future?" Bones' outburst caused Marie to laugh, quickly she pulled herself together, "Sorry."
Jasmine tried to hold in a giggled; Marie just grinned at her.
Spock glanced at them before casually continuing, "If you eliminate the impossible whatever remains, however improbable must be the truth."
"How poetic," Jasmine smiled lightly at Spock.
Jim's eyes narrowed at his sister, "What would an angry future Romulan want with Captain Pike?"
Thinking about it for a minute Jasmine spoke up, "As Captain he knows Starfleet defenses, and Romulan's are very gifted at getting information that they want."
"What we need to do is catch up to that ship, disable it, take it over and get Pike back," Jim straightened focusing his attention to Spock.
As much as Jasmine agreed with Jim, the act was suicide, that ship was too strong.
"We are technologically out matched in every way, a rescue attempt would be illogical," Spock stated calmly.
"Jim, Nero's ship would have to drop out of warp for us to even attempt to take it," Jasmine tries to reason.
Jim just rolled his eyes getting more frustrated. "Then what about assigning engineering crews to try to boost our warp unit?"
Again Spock offered up a logical explanation, "The remaining power and crew are being used to repair radiation leaks in the lower decks, and..."
"Ok, alright. Alright!" Spock's and Jim's voices seemed to fight over each others. "There's got to be some way," Jim walked up to Spock.
"We must gather with the rest of Starfleet, to balance the terms of our next engagement."
Jasmine made her way closer to Marie, "We aren't getting anywhere with them arguing like this."
"It's like they are an old married couple." Marie's comment made them both nod before focusing back on the guys.
Jim was exposing that if Nero is from the future he would know what is going to happen in which they should do something unpredictable.
Spock frowned lightly staring at Jim, "You are assuming that Nero knows how events are predicted to unfold. The contrary, Nero's very presence has altered the flow of history, beginning with the attack on the U.S.S. Kelvin."
"He altered everything, in his time the Kelvin would never have been destroyed," Jasmine finally started to realize what had happened. "
So we are like an alternate reality," Marie spoke up.
"Precisely," Spock nodded to the girls. He started walking toward the captain's chair again. "Whatever our lives might have been if the time continuum was disrupted, our destinies have changed." His words made many wonder, what would their lives have been like if Nero hadn't appeared. Jasmine couldn't stop thinking about their father and if he'd still be alive.
"Mr. Sulu plot a course to the Lorinthium system. Warp factor 3."
Jim was not ready to back down when he heard Spock's orders. "Spock don't do that. Running back to the rest of the fleet for a Con Fab is a massive waste of time."
"Jim calm down," Jasmine tried to interfere.
"These are the orders issued by Captain Pike when he left the ship." Spock had sat down not letting Jim's attitude affect him.
"He also ordered us to go back for him. Spock you are captain now, you can-." The next few moment a seemed to blur together. Jim kept fighting Spock to realize they had to go for Pike while Spock would reply in a formidable way. As their voices grew louder, Bones tried to cut in to stop it but it was pointless.
It was when Jim's final words seemed to echo throughout the bridge, Spock decided it was enough. "Security escort him out," Spock was standing tall and commanding.
Jim was glared at the Vulcan, his eyes shifted to Jasmine who stood like she wanted to say something. Marie's hand was over her mouth, what the hell was happening? She watched as security grabbed Jim and started to escort him away. Barely a few steps away Jim started to fight off the guards; Jasmines voice called out for him to stop.
Both girls watched as Spock swiftly made his way over to him and gave him the infamous Vulcan nerve pinch causing Jim collapsed onto the floor. "Get him off this ship," Spock's words shocked Jasmine.
She watched the men carry Jim away before she walked up to Spock."Captain, do you really think that's necessary?"
Spock start her for a moment before answering, "Indeed I do."
Biting her lip Jasmine restrained herself from snapping back at him. "Sir, I understand that Kirk can be stubborn but he is a valuable crew member and is just trying to save Captain Pike."
"That stubborn attitude you speak of is going to get the crew and himself killed. It was logical to remove the source of danger."
"Screw your logic, you have no right just abandoning him on some random planet!" Jasmine was angry, Spock could see it in her eyes, they got a brighter blue the angrier she got.
"Lieutenant Commander Kirk I hereby resign you from your post."
Jasmine's mouth dropped, "Excuse me?"
Marie's eyes widened, this can't be happening.
"You will be kept in your quarters until further notice. Security if you will." Spock glanced sideways before returning back to Jasmine.
"Don't do this," Her words came out quiet but firm. The guards gripped her arm and slowly pulled her away. "Spock!" Marie followed Jasmine as she was taken off the bridge, before looking back at Spock. She could see him staring at Jasmine's station as if thinking about something before walking back and sitting down on the Captains chair.
Marie stared at her station, she felt completely lost. Jim was gone, literally dropped in some random nearby planet. Jasmine is being forcibly held in her quarters just for standing up for her brother. All of this by the orders of someone she looked up to, yet all it had done was made her resent him. How could he do that to Jasmine, someone he was supposed to truly care for?
Casting her eyes over to Spock who was sitting at his chair she unnoticeably pressed a few buttons. Marie had learned a few things from Jasmine especially hacking security codes. Quickly she connected her ear com to the inner com in Jasmine's room. Before she could say anything, she heard a loud crash and a few unsavory words.
"Jas?" She kept her voice low so that a certain pointy ear man didn't hear. There was a bit of silence before she heard her friend's heavy breathing voice.
"Oh Marie. You do pay attention."
"Only for the important things. Why are you breathing like that?"
A light giggle came from the com, "Just doing some light redecorating."
Marie knew exactly what that meant. Jasmine as she had come to learn is a very physical person, she sometimes never knew the right words to say so she would use actions instead. The last time she 'redecorated' was around the first time she had met Spock, he had humiliated her and her work so she went back to her quarters and let's just say it didn't end well.
"Well have fun with that."
A moment passed before Jasmine's voice came up again, "He really did it, didn't he?" Marie already knew what she was talking about.
"Yeah and the only good thing about it is the planet has a small Starfleet base on it, but that's it." She waited for a reply but after a minute of silence she continued. "Are you alright?"
"I don't know, I feel like my emotions are on a rollercoaster. I feel completely lost at what I should do."
Marie felt the same way; they felt helpless at the situation and unsure what would be the right choice.
Marie's eyes caught Bones walking onto the bridge and heading for Spock. "Hey Jas, I've got to go. I'll keep you posted."
"Thanks Marie."
The com clicked off, and Marie casually moved closer to Bones and Spock.
"You wanted to see me?" Bones spoke, a hint of annoyance coming out.
Spock swiftly stood up, "Yes, Doctor. I am aware that James Kirk is a friend of yours. I recognized that supporting me as you did must have been difficult."
They were slowly walking the floor of the bridge. Marie kept her distance but just enough so she could hear them speak.
"Is that a thank you?" Bones' question made her laugh, Bones really didn't like Spock.
"I am simply acknowledging your difficulties."
Bones stopped abruptly causing Marie to almost keep walking into them. "Permission to speak freely sir?"
"I welcome it," Spock replied casually.
Bones made a face, "Do you? Ok then. Are you out of your Vulcan mind?"
Marie's mouth dropped; did he really just say that? Wow.
Bones swiftly continued, "Are you making the logical decision sending Kirk away? Probably. But the right one? You know back home we have a saying. If you're gonna ride in the Kentucky derby you don't leave your prize stallion in the stable."
Spock's eyes glanced at Marie before speaking, "Curious metaphor Doctor, as a stallion must first be broken before it can reach its full potential. Lieutenant if you wish to join in the conversation please do so, as you are also affiliated with James and Jasmine Kirk."
Swallowing Marie moved to stand beside Bones, "Sorry sir. I didn't want to seem like I was intruding."
She felt herself holding back the real words she wanted to say. Although Spock had always been hard on her, she knew it was so she would push herself to be better. Everything he had done was for the better of things but for the first time Marie just couldn't agree with him. Jasmine's voice appeared in her head, the pain she was feeling and it angered her, that someone she cared about was hurting her like that.
Suddenly Marie looked Spock in the eye and let all she felt out. "But dear god man can you at least act like it was a hard decision. Maybe not for Jim, I can understand that, but Jasmine, you owe her more than that."
Bones looked at Marie in confusion before looking back at Spock.
The Vulcan had a straight face but a slight twitch occurred in his brow. "Listen, I intend to assist in the effort of reestablishing communication with Starfleet. However if crew moral is better served by my roaming the halls and weeping, I will gladly defer your medical expertise. Now if you'll both excuse me."
The two of them watched him walk off.
"Green blooded hobgoblin."
Marie smacked Bones in the arm, "Don't say things like that."
"Why not?"
Marie glared at him, "Ok, you incestuous redneck bastard."
Bones' mouth dropped, he's never heard her speak like that.
"See not nice." Bones just shook his head as Marie walked back to her station.