Thank you for sticking with the story! Stay with me until we get to the good stuff and I promise, you'll be pleased!
I edited the end of the last chapter a bit. Look it over briefly if you want, but it is not plot changing. I realized that Old Spock telling Jim to take command was unrealistic and, as you read this chapter, misleading. So I altered that bit a bit.
Thank you for all the reviews and follows and favorites!
Chapter Six
The Decision
Spock was at a loss of what to say as his guards escorted two trespassers who had, by some unknown means, appeared in Engineering. Many questions came with their presence. How did they manage to get on the ship mid-warp? And why?
One of them was in Starfleet uniform, which had been given to him on his way up to the bridge. Though his clothes were dry, his hair was wet, and a towel was wrapped around his neck. Spock did not know the specifics yet, but a partial explanation for the man's state logically had to correlate with the unauthorized opening of a water compartment, which had initially alerted the ship to their unauthorized appearance.
The other trespasser was more… interesting. It was the man who had last been seen captive on the bridge of the Narada. A man who Nero accused of sending out the original warning that had saved many Vulcan lives, and then given a second, which saved more. A man whose identity was still unknown.
That man appeared to be in worse condition then he had been previously. More signs of physical assault, along with a greater appearance of exhaustion. His lips looked blue and chapped and he was shivering despite the towel of his own he had wrapped around him. Underneath he still wore the clothes he had on earlier. Whatever events had occurred between him being on the bridge of Nero's ship to the bridge of the Enterprise had not been favorable.
Despite his injuries and recent imprisonment he stood confidently and well composed, holding his head high and looking straight at Spock, waiting for him to speak first. Spock could tell the man knew his appearance came under unsavory conditions, but he had a determined expression.
"Who are you?" Spock addressed the pair, turning his attention to the apparent Starfleet member first.
"Montgomery Scott. Starfleet."
"Current assignment?"
"Station at Delta Vega. Not ideal, I might say, as I am overly qualified for such a position and I nay think it fair to punish me for one minor incident that occurred…"
"That will be sufficient." Spock interrupted. "And who are you?" He continued, turning his attention back to the other man.
"James T. Kirk."
"The last name is familiar to me."
"That would probably be because of my father."
"Your father?"
"George Kirk."
"The late Captain of the USS Kelvin?"
James Kirk's face tightened as he gave a nod of confirmation. "Sir, if I may, can I request that you change the direction of this ship at once."
This surprised Spock. "How do you know the heading of this ship?
How did you manage to get aboard this ship? We are traveling at warp speed. What you did should be impossible."
"Many things should be impossible but are not. Like, for example, a Romulan ship from the future meddling with the past." Kirk explained. Spock rose an eyebrow. "I cannot fully divulge all of my information at this time, because we have no time. I implore you to change the direction of this ship. You are headed to regroup with the main fleet, am I correct? Well, I can tell you, this is a mistake."
"It is not a mistake. We are outmatched by Nero and his superior weaponry. The odds of surviving if we pursued are unfavorable. We must gather with the might of the fleet to stand a chance in the next engagement."
"There won't be a next engagement, Spock. By the time we've 'gathered', it'll be too late - how many planets are you willing to risk?"
"Are you saying with certainty that Nero is going to repeat his actions on Vulcan to other planets?"
"Yes. And Earth is his next target, which is why we need to go and meet him head on before he can do it."
"Do you have any proof to back up your claim?"
"You saw me on the bridge. I was there. I overheard their plans and I know exactly what they are going to do. We need change course to Earth and meet Nero head on. That is where Nero is headed. I'm sure you have already know. He plans to destroy it, just as he destroyed Vulcan. Then he will go to every Federation planet and destroy them one by one until none remain or he is stopped."
"It is illogical to pursue the Romulan ship. They have superior weapons systems to ours, and the ship had already taken some damage from the previous altercation. That, with the addition of the number of refugees from Vulcan we have taken aboard, it is only logical that we should regroup with the main fleet and attack in force."
"By then it would be too late!" exclaim Kirk. He surged forward, and before the security team had a chance to respond he grabbed Spock's hand, flooding Spock with his own emotion.
Spock yanked away his hand, but not before Kirk had managed to send him his anger at Nero, the pain he had received at Nero's command, and the pain of failing to save Vulcan, and his determination to save Earth and get revenge.
"I'm sorry." Kirk apologized. "But I needed to prove to your my intentions are honest. And that if you don't help me, I'll do anything to find another way."
Spock was surprised Kirk knew about Vulcan's psy-sensitive hands, but he had made his point clear and proved sincerity. Spock's resolve towards his decision faltered, and he could see in the faces of his crew that their confidence in his decision did as well.
"We were under orders from the previous captain to regroup with the fleet." He stated, trying to stabilize.
"Sometimes you to be flexible. I assume the previous captain is still on the Narada? What about him?"
"Pike also did give us orders to recover him." Sulu added. Spock shot Sulu a look, unknowingly raising his brow again.
"Yes! That! You will still be following orders! See? That is logical! Now turn this ship around and plan an attack on Nero!"
"You do not have any authority to make orders."
"But you do!"
"It is illogical."
"Illogical or not it is the right thing to do! And the only one that will stand a chance save the lives of everyone on Earth."
Risking everything on the slim sense of success was illogical.
But was risking the Earth more illogical?
Kirk continued. "I tried my best to save Vulcan, please help me save Earth."
Spock suspected that if he denied that course of action Kirk would likely find a way to attempt to stop Nero, an attempt that, without the Enterprise, meant certain failure.
The path Kirk wanted to take, even with the aid of the Enterprise, had a high failure probability and what was at risk for this ship was great. Of the number of possibilities that could occur, the vast majority were unfavorable, many of which resulted in the destruction of the ship.
The loss of this ship and those on it would be nothing, in comparison, to the loss of Earth.
The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.
"Lieutenant Sulu. Set course for Earth. Is there a way to intercept Nero's ship before he reaches Earth?" Spock asked.
Kirk's serious expression brightened.
"Aye, Captain. No, sir. It's too late for that. They will reach Earth's orbit before we can get close." Sulu answered.
McCoy, who had proved to be a strong willed and opinioned individual, joined in. "Even if we did, we can't go in guns blazing. Not with their technology, that's suicide."
"We don't need to directly engage them. If I could get back onboard, I am familiar enough with it that we could find and remove the red matter before they have a chance to use it." Jim said.
"The red matter?" Chekov asked.
"Err, the black hole device. That is how they are able to create one." Jim explained.
"An undetected insurgency would be the favorable course of action." Spock agreed. James Kirk flashed him a brief smile of gratitude then returned to his serious expression.
"Scotty, can we trans-warp beam onto the Narada?" Kirk asked his companion who just shook his head.
"Trans-warp beaming?" Chekov echoed in surprise and thoughtfulness.
"Nye. Not easily. We had a fix on the location of the Enterprise, but there is no way to predict the exact location of that ship. I'd just end up beaming you into space. Not a pretty way to go." Scotty mused. "And I like that. Scotty. The nickname really rolls off the tongue."
"What do we do now?"
"Make preparations. Make a plan of action" Spock answered.
"So plan stop Nero is go?" Kirk asked.
"Affirmative."
"Wonderful." Kirk said. "Is there a doctor available? Because I think I have frostbite."
End of Chapter
Yeah! So Jim and Spock have now met face to face and Jim was able to talk Spock into doing the right thing. It helps that Spock does not already dislike Jim for cheating on the Kobiyashi Maru. That, and Kirk has 'street cred' for being a prisoner of Nero, and the sincerity of his emotions. Or whatever.
I'm just really excited to get this story past the movie part, so bear with me! Please! PLEASE!
"Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend."
-Albert Camus