Vibrant colors illuminated the neural diagram, casting a wild glow upon the Vulcan's furrowed brow. He reached his slender fingers towards the smooth glass screen, gracefully tracing various neural pathways. With a deft swipe of his third and fourth fingers, a command menu was called forth and Spock rapidly queued strings of data to be recorded. A circumstance as rare as this would require a lengthy analysis and the current system settings would not record the level of detail he required. Shoes clacked closer to the computer and Spock was pulled from his thoughts, reminded of the fact that he was not alone in the console room.
"Commander should we be concerned with the warnings?"
"Negative, sir. The computer is merely reporting minor errors in regards to the cadet's connection with the AI pilot. If you would grant me an additional minute with the programming we can resume our previous discourse." After the addition of several more lines of code to his newly altered data analysis program, Spock dismissed the alerts and turned to face Pike.
"Warnings silenced, Fleet Admiral."
"Shall we resume our conversation?"
"I believe I was the last to speak. I informed you of the impossibility of my drifting with another pilot, regardless of the compatibility level."
"I'm not so sure I believe that Commander as there is no evidence to suggest anything that would impede such a connection" Pike withdrew a PADD from his briefcase, eyes never leaving Spock. "It would be one thing if there was a documented medical problem stating that but it seems you have avoided all medical staff, including the Vulcan specialists for the past four years. In fact, several expressed great concern over both your physical and mental well being when I raised interest in your medical records and I must agree with their concerns."
"The research and development of the new drift system as well as the proper training of cadets at the academy has consumed the majority of my waking hours during these past four years sir. Due to such commitments, I have been unable to visit sickbay to engage in such an activity. I assure you sir, I am in perfect health and would have sought medical attention if the condition so required."
"As a commanding officer, the health of my crew is one of my top priorities. You may tell me that you are in perfect health but until one of our head doctors relays the same information to me I cannot allow you to remain an active member of the crew." He flipped to a second document on his PADD to double-check his information. "As of sixteen hundred this evening, your schedule has been cleared and you are expected in sickbay no later than sixteen thirty. Dr. M'Benga has scheduled an appointment for you at that time for a full spectrum of tests along with a regular physical exam which from now on you will attend biannually like all other crew in this dome." A deep, heavy breath pressed from Pike's mouth, punctuating the conversation as he crafted his next statement.
"I have no idea what you experienced and I cannot possibly understand how you felt then or even how you feel now. You can spew 'Vulcans have no emotions' and tell me you are fine all you want Spock but you're not fooling me, not this time." Pike raised a pointed finger to chest height. "All I know is this: the motives behind your dedication changed the day you accepted a reduction in rank and this position with the scientists. It's been a highly productive dedication but I do not think it was worth the price that was paid."
"There are many people whose lives have been spared and even improved because of the advancements that have been made through this department's research. The planet has been able to rebuild to a level unheard since the Kaiju invasion began twenty years ago. On a smaller scale, our pilots are able to fight at the same level, and in some instances far above the level of every Kaiju we engage in combat. Considering the increased strength in the creatures during the past two years, a most impressive feat. To borrow your words sir, the price may have been high, but I believe it to more than worth its cost." Spock resumed his watch of the simulation, making minor adjustments to the program in the few instances it was needed.
Pike watched the feedback videos and silently mused over Spock. The damn Vulcan was the most stubborn being he had ever met and considering how well Pike knew the Kirk family, that was an achievement worthy of recognition. His thoughts were pulled to the young Kirk, who had just landed a fatal blow to the virtual Kaiju. Cadet Kirk had a fiery passion sparking inside but a fire cannot flourish with a spark alone. The two stood in mutual silence for the next hour and a half before Pike found his voice again.
"I've watched most of Cadet Kirk's simulator sessions. His style is different, a combination of seemingly opposing elements. Like his father, he fights with brute strength and an intense dedication that puts the mission before even his own well-being: the sort of man who would fight to his dying breath if it meant saving even one person. But the way he attacks and defends is so much more than just his father's force and determination: they're highly calculated and extremely precise, something I would expect no less of from my best Vulcan pilot." He moved to leave, pausing after the doors hissed open.
"Go to that appointment. Talk with the doctor. Think about what I've said and what you've observed. As I have said many times, if ever you wished to return to your former rank and to active pilot duty, it would be welcomed by all. Good day Commander Spock." Spock glanced towards the doors as they glided shut behind Pike.
He was greatly conflicted. Oh how he wanted to return to the conn-pod! To again feel the mental connection with another being. To feel the energy and strength of the Jaeger thrumming through every fiber of his being. But the place was a personal hell for him. It was there that his beloved T'Pring was stolen from him. Her final thoughts a complete release of all the terror and anguish she had barricaded for months. The slow, lonely march back to the dome: his mind and his body screaming in pain as his inner demons taunted him, telling him to sucumb to the darkness. Spock violently shook his head and closed his eyes. Composure. Focus. He breathed deeply and let his eyes flutter open. It was eleven twenty-seven. He had six hours and thirty-three minutes before his scheduled appointment. It seemed logical to begin his analysis of the cadet's simulation session.
An engineering technician helped Kirk out of the pilot suit and with the removal of the last pieces, he gave a great stretch, reaching up to the sky. The circuitry suit pull taut across his body as he held the pose a moment longer. With an exhale, he dove his arms and upper body down to brush fingertips against toes. After stripping the suit, Kirk slipped back into the ratty jeans and t-shirt he pulled on after the gym. It was the weekend so it's not like had to wear uniform anything. An added bonus, Pike didn't comment on the attire when he encountered him upon entry to the simulator room so that gave Kirk even fewer reasons to care what others thought of his appearance. Exiting the preparation room, Kirk glanced around and saw that only Spock remained in the room, focused on whatever document he was reading.
"The admiral has already departed. He made an unsuccessful first attempt to contact the pilot with whom he believes you have compatibility and said that he would 'get in touch with you' within the next seven days." Kirk's shoulders slouched a little bit. It wasn't the negative news he had feared but it also wasn't the glowing positivity which had driven him through what he was calling one of his most successful simulations.
"Thanks commander. Anyone on the schedule for next Sunday?" A boney thumb flipped from one document to the next.
"There is no one scheduled after fifteen hundred on that date."
"Put me in for two hours then. See you next week!" Kirk tossed a wave and shimmering smile over his shoulder before departing. It might not have been the most positive conclusion but damn did he feel refreshed! Way to go Jim, that was your best session ever. A stupid, proud grin perched on his face the entire way to sickbay. His dad should be released soon and he figured he would catch him before the guy was lost to mountains of paperwork and being shuffled through the next round of debriefings.
Sickbay was buzzing with activity as usual. Jim chatted with one of the junior lieutenants in the waiting area since it didn't look like a nurse was coming around anytime soon. Seems one of the new ensigns miswired the replacement mechanical muscle strands of the Bright Constellation's right arm and caused a small explosion at the elbow relay. One hour and several stories later, a nurse came to give a status update to the lieutenant and showed Kirk to his father's biobed. She informed him that his father had fully recovered and they intended to release him this evening after the drama of the morning engineering incident settled down.
"How are you doing old man?" He extended a hand towards his dad.
"Old man? You can't be talking about me." George took Jim's hand in his in a firm handshake before pulling him close for a tight hug.
"I don't know dad, I heard something about mum calling you and Robau two old fools who don't know when to retire." Jim pulled a chair close to the bed, glancing quickly up at his father's vitals. Not that Jim understood the displayed readings but he had found himself lying on one of those biobeds on enough occasions to know what figures you did not want displayed.
"Well she's a stubborn fool who thinks thinks studying these things will help us win this war. Research is great, and I'm sure we've learned a lot about the Kaiju in the past twenty years but how has it really helped this planet? All her research on the creatures has found is that this things are evolving at an unprecedented rate." The desperation in George's voice was palpable. A nurse shot a concerned look in his direction but he waved her away.
"That's valuable information and last I talked with her, they're trying to complete a map of the Kaiju's evolution since their first contact. Maybe there's something in that data that can help us better prepare. For now all we can do is to constantly improve our technology and keep trying to have the upper hand." Jim leaned forward, whispering to George, "Scotty tells me they're developing a new weapon that in theory could turn the odds in our favor. No idea when they're going to start building it or if it's even anything more than theoretical at this point but I thought you might want to know"
"I sure hope so Jim. As a pilot the last thing you want to be worrying about is if you still have the advantage or if overnight your opponent has made some kind of an upgrade that could annihilate you. We need all the help we can get and even the reinforcements we've received from the rest of the Federation have all but disappeared. Did you know these things are starting to appear on other nearby planets?"
"It's just rumors..."
"No, it's not." His sudden interruption startled Jim. George's voice dropped and Jim moved closer to his father. "Admiralty has been trying to keep it quiet so morale doesn't drop any lower than it already has. A confirmed seventeen planets have suffered Kaiju attacks in this quadrant and some of those attacks commenced even before the attack on Earth." Jim's eyes flew wide and his jaw dropped.
"That many?! Someone has to have made better progress than us." He blinked faster trying to fathom the scale of such an assault.
"Sure progress has been made but not much. Some of our advancements are a result of the collaborative efforts but that's the extent of the progress. And of those seventeen planets, we've completely lost contact with nine of them. With no resources to spare, we can't even check on them."
"Shit." Jim clapped his hands to his face. He had no idea how grave the situation really was and now that he knew… He knew Starfleet was doing the best they could but now he wasn't sure if their best was going to be enough.
"Anyway, speaking of admiralty, Pike visited this morning. Checking in on how Robau and I are doing and said he was off to observe you in the simulator." George almost regretted his outburst and sharing that information. He really didn't need to weigh Jim down with any more problems, his burden was heavy enough.
"Seems I might not be the black sheep of the pilot academy anymore. They found a potential drift match for me." The brilliant smile returned to his face and he relaxed back into his chair. "Pike's trying to contact the pilot and said he'd comm me sometime in the next week with any updates. I hope this works out...it might be my last chance of becoming a pilot."
"They say there's someone for everyone. True of life, love and Jaeger piloting." He nodded his head in a mix of pleasure and annoyance.
"All I ask for is someone who knows what they're doing in that conn-pod. I know the simulator can never compare to the real thing but some of the things I've seen people do there is unbelievable. I'd say I don't know how they haven't been kicked out of academy but these are also the people who let a matchless cadet stay on for so long." His eyes drifted to the side. Bidding farewell to his father, he departed sickbay in a sour mood. All he could think about was the real gravity of this Kaiju war and bitter memories of one of the worst days of his life.
Cadets buzzed around the rec room notice boards, finding out who of their comrades would be privileged to their headspace. Kirk and some of the other guys in his wing were just returning from the mess hall and they raced to the growing mob. Before Kirk even had the opportunity to join the mass, Pike pulled him aside.
What a cruel joke. He has to be joking. I can't be alone. Pike's lying; everyone else had not only a top match but a list of other potential people. How could I have none?
Kirk skipped classes for two weeks, only leaving his room when he needed to eat and even that seldom happened. It was early in the second week of his self imposed exile that he first met Scotty and was introduced to his particular manner of commenting on the situation. Something about him looking worse than shriveled moss on a fallen tree in the foulest marsh one could muck their boots through. Scotty dragged him to the corner of the mess hall where the security and engineering staff liked to congregate. They welcomed him warmly and with no questions asked. Three days later, he would be crawling in and out some of the tightest spaces you could find in a Jaeger.
He finally confronted Pike, ready to talk about the situation. He wanted to stay in the academy and keep with the pilot track as much as possible. After all, sooner or later someone would enter one of the shatterdome academies with whom he could drift? He even mentioned how engineering offered to take him on as an unofficial ensign and he had already learned so much in only a couple of was hesitant at first but Kirk's relentless attitude won out. He ran excitedly from the office, glad to hear he could stay. Pike chuckled to himself at the departing man. To an empty room, Pike spoke his thoughts aloud.
"Kid, you might never become a pilot but you're going to make damn sure you know more about those Jaeger's than any other pilot. There's greatness in you; only time will tell how it manifests itself."