Chapter Five

While the Enterprise engaged the Romulans, Luke Skywalker was making his way to a date with destiny. Jim was there, in the back of his conscious awareness, their bond as siblings weakened by distance but not dissolved. When he faced off against Darth Vader and jumped from the catwalk into the central shaft of Cloud City, delirious and wounded, coming to rest at last on a weather-vane, Luke called for one person. He called for his brother first, crying his name into the harsh winds that buffeted the underside of the floating city.

Jim! Jim, brother! He cried, wishing he didn't know such an awful truth.

Meanwhile, Jim, struck with a phantom pain, had gone straight to his knees before Nero and Ayel. Luke was in trouble! Jim reached for his brother, found a wavering consciousness, and realized that Luke was in serious trouble. He couldn't help Luke, he had to help himself first. Reaching down, Nero lifted him off his knees one-handed and laughed at him for being a weak Human. He knew James T. Kirk from Earth's history, he had been a great man and a great captain, but Jim would never have a chance to be that man. Jim knew what he was capable of, but he'd never tapped into that power before. He did now and a split second later he dropped into a crouch as Nero dropped him. He sprang from a crouch and cleared Nero's head. He landed behind the Romulans and wished he had a weapon, his phaser had been kicked off the side of the catwalk by Ayel. Suddenly, he heard a shrill whistle and looked up.

"Jim, catch!" the man yelled, throwing something to him. Jim didn't recognize the man, but knew he was a Jedi. Jim caught the object tossed to him and knew what it was the minute his fingers closed around it. A lightsaber. Jim flicked the weapon to life and faced off against the Romulans.

"I warned you, Nero. You picked the wrong ship, the wrong family to fuck with." Nero didn't believe him and sicked Ayel on him. Ayel was dead before he touched Jim, a stunned expression on his face.

"Who are you?" Nero hissed, realizing he may have underestimated Jim. Jim just twirled the ancient weapon in his hand and smirked.

"The name's Jim Kirk. I'm a Jedi Knight. I don't expect any of that to mean anything to you." Well, it did. Nero's eyes widened with something very much like fear.

"The Jedi Knights don't exist anymore!"

"Oh yes we do." Jim snickered and looked over Nero's shoulder, "Don't believe me? Ask them." He'd never seen so many before. There must have been a dozen Jedi Knights on the catwalks, all ready for combat. This was Jim's fight, they all knew that. He looked at the master who had given Jim the lightsaber and nodded. Find Captain Pike, he'll be in the lower levels of the Narada.

Be careful, James Skywalker. It was the first time someone had called him Skywalker outside of his encounter with Master Yoda. Nero tried to take advantage of his momentary lapse of focus, but he hadn't lost focus at all and used the strength his tap gave him, struggling across the catwalk. He knocked Nero off the catwalk once, down one level. Jim gathered his focus and jumped after Nero, landing in a crouch. Nero was ready for him and knocked Jim flat on his back.

"Jim!" someone yelled. He looked up, startled. He knew that voice.

"Spock?"

"Die, Kirk!" Nero snarled above him.

"Captain Nero!" Someone hailed Nero over the ship's comm.-system, "The Vulcan ship has been stolen, sir!" Nero bellowed Spock's name and vanished. Free from Nero, Jim scrambled and went after him. He landed and fell to his knees, gasping for breath, feeling the sweat pouring down the back of his neck and into his eyes.

"Come on, son." The same Jedi from before pulled Jim to his feet, "We've secured your captain."

"S-Spock." Jim's teeth were chattering, "I h-heard him!" They met up with the others, and Jim winced as he got a good look at Pike. He dug out his communicator, "Kirk to Enterprise! Get us out of here, Scotty! Get everybody out!" The Narada vanished, replaced with the Enterprise, and Jim looked over as Spock materialized beside him. He spared a moment for the Jedi and told them to either scatter or join them on the bridge. When they got to the bridge, Chekov had good news for them. The Narada's shields were down.

"Hail them now."

"Aye, sir." Chekov nodded and Jim offered the Romulans an olive-branch. Nero was pissed and said no thank you, though not in so many civilized words. Jim looked at Spock, who stood calmly beside him.

"No problem. Arm phasers and torpedos, fire everything we have. Fire now, fire often." He sat down in the command chair and watched the Narada crumble. The black-hole had blown wide open and the Enterprise was trapped in the gravity-well. The hull cracked under stress, and Jim held his breath until they were free. A split-second silence was followed by cheering, crying, and hugging. Jim, aching from his numerous misadventures, got out of the chair and turned to the master who had armed him against Nero and Ayel. He smiled and held out the lightsaber, "This is yours, sir. Thank you."

"I knew the Skywalkers were destined for great things, I always knew."

"Did you know my father, sir?"

"When I knew him, Anakin Skywalker was a child of ten years. You look just like him. You're James."

"My siblings are Luke and Leia." He made a face, "My sister's a princess."

"Royalty is never a bad connection."

"Thanks for your help back there on the Narada. Is Captain Pike going to be alright?"

"I think he'll make a full recovery. Would it be out of character to suggest that you pay a visit to Sickbay for your own sake?"

"Bones would kill me if I didn't. Commander, you have the bridge. Alert me when we reach Delta Vega."

"Delta Vega? But that's out of our way!" Sulu looked at him, confused. Jim glanced at Spock, who smirked.

"Not anymore, Mr. Sulu. Alter course appropriately and alert me the minute we enter orbit around Delta Vega."

"A-aye, Captain. Where are you going?"

"To Sickbay." He left the bridge alone. When he got down to Sickbay, Bones was all over him. He sat still and let Bones worry over him.

"You brought back some freaky people, Jim. Who are they?"

"They're my people, Bones." Jim smirked as he saw one of them in Sickbay, moving among the Vulcan patients, "I don't know any of their names, but they're all like me."

"And you're…what, precisely?"

"One of the Skywalkers." He smiled, "I've got two siblings, a twin brother and a sister."

"Excuse me?"

"Skywalkers. Jedi Knights, defenders of everything good, royalty in my sister's case. My father died the day we were born, my foster-parents were exiles."

"I thought you were screwed up anyway."

"Turns out George Kirk was a clone of Anakin Skywalker, who…didn't exactly die." Jim shrugged, "It's Luke I'm worried about."

"Worrying about your family is normal. Sounds like you've got one that's actually worth missing." Bones was gentle yet thorough.

Two hours later, they entered orbit around Delta Vega and Jim beamed down to the ice-cave. Emcee, his copilot droid, whistled and chirped with excitement to see him.

"Hey there, Emcee. Miss me?" he smirked as he climbed up the ladder of the X-wing. He heard transporters and looked over his shoulder. Spock materialized and Jim turned on the ladder.

"Be careful, Jim."

"Don't worry, I'll bring you mom back alive." He hopped down the ladder, "I heard you, Spock. While I was on the Narada."

"I know, I wanted you to hear me." Spock looked bashful, "You were in danger."

"And that bothered you?"

"I couldn't help you. I know how you felt so helpless to assist your brother."

"You'd like Luke, he's a calmer version of me." Jim smiled and cocked his head to one side, "You look sad."

"Please come back, Jim." Spock touched the wing of the fighter, "Sarhla ha-kel."

"I will, Spock. I promise I will." Jim pushed away from the ladder and took Spock's hand in his, looking up to meet the Vulcan's gaze, "Wait for us." Then, parted by Emcee's indignant shrieking, Jim clinbed the ladder and started pre-flight. Spock stood by until he took off, and he circled once, watching the transporter pick up Spock and take him back to the Enterprise. He had somewhere else to go. Using homing-devices, Jim located the fleet and set out for a reunion he was actually looking forward to.