When the light cleared, they looked around. They were indeed in the cargo hold, as Scotty had promised.
"Now what?" said Kirk.
"I will go and try to disable the device." Said Spock.
"I'll find Captain Pike." Said Kirk nodding. Suddenly he frowned though. "What about Nero?" he asked. "He'll find out what we're doing no matter how careful we are."
"Nero's mine." Bella growled. They turned to look at her. Her expression was intense. "For Lyssa." She added quietly. No one moved for a minute.
"Let's go." Said Kirk.
* * * * *
Kirk, Bella and Spock ran through the dark corridors, trying to stay in shadow. It wasn't that hard. After ten minutes, Kirk shook his head. "We're never going to find it this way." He said looking around the corner. Spock said nothing. Kirk turned to look at him. "Spock, did you hear me?" he asked, an edge of frustration in his voice. "I said we're never going to find it this way."
Spock raised an eyebrow at his tone and said "I believe I have a solution. If we stun one of the guards, I may be able to mind meld with him."
"Good plan." Said Bella, taking her phaser out of its holster. "Let's pick our candidate, shall we?" she grinned, cocking the phaser for emphasis. Spock raised an eyebrow and ran for a crevice in the wall.
"Ready?" said Kirk.
Spock nodded, not taking his eyes off the doorway. The Romulan who walked in never knew what hit him. He fell to the ground, stunned by the phaser.
"Go!" said Kirk, jumping up. "We've got your back."
Spock ran for the fallen Romulan. Kneeling beside him, Spock closed his eyes and pressed his fingertips to the Romulan's face.
"Hurry, Spock." Kirk moaned, stunning two more Romulan's.
Spock opened his eyes. "I am unable to meld with this guard." He said.
"Well." Said Kirk. "We're going to have to interrogate him the old fashioned way." He held up the phaser. "With good old fashioned violence."
"Allow me." Said Bella stepping forward.
He grinned. "This one's starting to wake up." He said, pointing to the one at her feet. "He's all yours."
She bent down to the Romulan's level with her best Angel of Mercy look. "Where is the black hole device?" she asked softly.
He sneered at her. "Bite me, Vulcan." He said.
She seized the front of his uniform and lifted him off the ground. "Where is it?" she asked.
He spat in her face.
She narrowed her eyes and threw him across the room. She continued to interrogate him. "Tell (punch!) me (punch!) where (punch!) it (punch!) is! (PUNCH!)"
"Shuttlecraft bay." He moaned.
She turned to her two comrades. "Good luck." She said.
Kirk smiled. "You, too."
She turned to Spock. "Be careful." She said. He nodded solemnly. She smiled and ran for the door.
"Shuttlecraft bay?" Kirk asked, running for the door.
"Shuttlecraft bay." Spock answered. They found the shuttlecraft bay to be empty.
"Phaser's out just in case, though." Kirk said, taking the phaser out of its holster. Spock nodded and did likewise. They spread out, searching for anything that could be the device.
A certain ship caught Spock's attention. "It is Vulcan in design." He explained to Kirk.
Something clicked inside Jim Kirk's brain. He thought back to his unexpected meeting on Delta Vega. If the ship was Vulcan, this must be it. "Maybe we should check it." He said, holstering his phaser.
Spock complied. They walked up the ramp and onto the ship.
"Scanning." Said the computer voice. "Welcome Ambassador Spock."
Spock raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. His attention was focused on the large clear chamber in the middle of the room. Inside the chamber was a large red pulsating sphere. "Red matter." Said Spock, examining the chamber with typical detachment. "When ignited, the red matter becomes unstable and creates a black hole effect." He turned and walked to the helm of the ship.
"Can you fly this thing?" Kirk asked.
"It seems strange." Said Spock, turning to look at him. "But I think I already have."
Kirk grinned at him and turned to leave.
"Jim." Said Spock. Kirk turned back to look at him. Spock's expression was torn. "If I am killed." He said "Please tell Bella I love her."
Kirk put his hand on the Vulcan's shoulder. "Spock." He said. "It'll work."
Spock hesitated, then nodded. Kirk turned and ran from the ship. Spock sat down in the pilot's chair. He looked out of the shuttle at the starry blackness of space. "Fascinating." He murmured.
* * * * *
Kirk ran along the catwalk. There were hundreds of these tall bridges of metal on this ship. One missed step and you would plummet to your death. A shout made him whirl around. Nothing. No guard advancing, no friend in need. Nothing. He had just turned around, when a crushing blow to his chest knocked him backwards. He hit the deck hard. A hand grabbed him by the throat and held him over the edge of the catwalk. Kirk choked as the hand tightened. He looked at his attacker. Nero. "You!" said Kirk.
"James T. Kirk." Said Nero, lifting him higher. "You're brave just like your father." Nero continued, smiling unpleasantly. "You became a great starship captain, the pride of the federation, captain of the USS Enterprise. James Kirk was a great man." His hand tightened on Kirk's throat. Kirk choked and his vision began to dim. "But that was another life."
Kirk felt his limbs going limp, his brain going fuzzy. Suddenly, Nero's hand was gone from his throat. A sudden blow had sent him reeling. Kirk grabbed the edge of the catwalk to keep himself from falling to his death. His savior stood over Nero, her phaser pointed directly at his heart. Bella. Her expression was not unlike that of a destroying angel, beautiful and terrifying.
Hate burned in her eyes as she glared at Nero, ready to strike. "Jim, go find Captain Pike." She said tensely.
"Bella…" he started.
"Go!" she yelled. He went. She glared at Nero, her phaser ready.
"You're going to kill me." He said calmly. It wasn't a question. She snarled through her teeth.
"I'm going to kill you just like how you killed Lyssa." She hissed.
"You're brave just like her."He said. "Sadly, it didn't save her."
With a howl of rage, her fist connected with his face. "This is for Lyssa!" she screamed. She kicked out hard. Her leg smashed into his ribs and launched him down the catwalk. "This is for Spock!" she cried, smashing her fist into his nose. Blood covered her knuckles as she struck again and again. "This is for Aria!" she howled, kicking out again, this time catching him in the face. "And this," she snarled, seizing him by the throat. "This is for you." And she threw him down the catwalk. He smashed into the floor. She pointed her phaser directly at his face. "Look at me!" she snarled. "I want to see the pain in your eyes as I kill you!" A sudden explosion rocked the ship. She looked to see what had happened. He took advantage of her momentary distraction, knocking the phaser from her hands. It skittered over the edge and fell. He flung a vicious kick into her ribs, launching her down the catwalk. She crumpled, clutching her ribs. He smiled grimly and pulled a knife from a hidden pocket. He slashed at her, leaving a bloody cut on her leg. He slashed at her again, missing this time, but driving her steadily towards the edge of the catwalk.
He smiled at the sight of her balanced on the edge. "Give my condolences to Lyssa." He said softly. He gave her a firm push backwards and she fell.
