Authoress' Note: It seems I have been confusing the Vulcan city of ShiKahr with Spock's ancestral home all this time. No one brought it to my attention, and so it is fully my fault for getting my facts wrong. It's not a big deal, but I'm sure a few hardcore Trekkers are scratching their heads. Otherwise, I'm sorry for the gigantic time jump in this chapter. I'm sure you all can understand why it would feel redundant to write what all of the characters are up to for a full 2 years.

Second Star to the Right . . .

2 Years Later

Spock Prime, as the older counterpart of his younger self, has now been affectionately called, wishes for only two people to be present as he makes his attempt at slingshotting around the sun in order to get back to his own universe and time, Nyota Uhura and his father, Sarek.

With the help of the newly reconstructed Vulcan Science Academy, which has already begun its latest session he was able to complete a second model of the Jellyfish starship commissioned to him by his times own science academy. It is an exact replica, minus the red matter compartment, much to Spock Prime's private relief. He has no wish to repeat the mistake he made only years earlier that is still fresh in many of the Vulcan's minds.

The new home world, Vulcan II as it has been aptly named, has grown much faster than he could have ever expected. The people of Vulcan, steeped in their tradition and culture, have proven themselves to be a determined race dedicated to not only starting an entirely new life, but of continuing an old and comfortable one. Spock wonders if the people in his own timeline could boast of having such a strength that his people here show.

Rebuilding was slow, as he and the Vulcan High Council had expected, and the implementation of the repopulating process still had no started nor did it have any hope of beginning in the very near future. At least, the official policies hadn't been put into effect yet. That didn't stop people from being bonded though. Spock was glad of that fact. It meant normalcy would someday resume its natural course on their world.

The main city, where new buildings for the Vulcan High Command, the Science Academy, a space port terminal, Terran and other off world embassies, as well as many of the other traditional and ceremonial parts of their old world have been erected in a short amount of time. Together, Spock and Sarek have worked at creating blueprints for a new ShiKahr, their ancient home stretching back to the time before Surak. The house with its many rooms had not been finished before Spock announced he would be making his departure.

No one had felt the urge to stop him from going. In fact, some were glad to be rid of this strange Vulcan from the future with the very human eyes and the easy countenance. Spock was ready to go though. He had prepared himself for this day for several months, making sure to leave his people in good terms despite the hardship and strife he had brought upon them.

A few days before leaving, T'Pau came to him; she almost as old as him, and with great respect and dignity about her asked if he would be willing to recount the plight of the Vulcans in the Hall of Memories so that their story would never be forgotten. The older Vulcan had obliged, honoured that people who had once shunned and bullied him in his youth, would now be able to accept him as one of their own. It saddened him to think he had not achieved that much on his own home planet.

So he had gone to the Hall of Memories and recorded there for future generations the story of his time traveling, of the rogue Nero, and of the destroying of the Vulcan home. The tale was not to end with bitter sadness, however, but rather with hope, an emotion he had never truly understood but had a great respect for. Later he stood in the Hall of Ancient Thought, seeping in the images of the pre-Reform era and of Surak, his peoples' saviour. He had noticed that the katric arc had not been rebuilt, and he thought that perhaps it never would be. After all, there were no more katras to be housed.

In his contemplations he noted how this Vulcan felt different than the one in his own time, even the one that had been destroyed. Here, there was an obvious day-to-day fight for survival, a kind of struggle that the people had not seen since Surak's time. It was a terrible and yet wondrous thing to behold as people began life anew with what little possessions they had. He had never seen Vulcans come together and rely on each other in such a way before.

Now the day has come for him to make his farewells to some of his closest companions who he knows he will never see again. It is enough that he has seen them though; it is enough to know that they are out there in some distant plane of existence; it is enough to know that they know him and will remember him. He reminds himself that his mission has not been a failure even in light of the events that occurred.

His father arrives first at the science academy's spacecraft landing pad, dressed in new robes of a dark blue material. He looks regal in them despite all that has happened. As Spock approaches the two mirror each other, raising their right hands in the Vulcan salute.

"Our time together has been pleasurable, my son," Sarek says, "My heart is heavy at the thought of your imminent departure."

"I will not be completely gone, Father," Spock says, his voice gravelly in the failing light. "You will always have a son out there," he looks up at the heavens above them, where pinpricks of stars have begun to light up the sky, "and eventually he will come home. His time is not yet over. There is still so much for him to see and to learn and to do."

Sarek nods sagely. "I know now what sort of man he will become, and I am grateful for this glimpse into the future that other's do not have. You will not be forgotten. Live long and prosper, my son."

"Peace and long life, Father."

Sarek steps back, bowing his head to hide the sadness reflected in his eyes. Nyota Uhura is there, behind him, appearing out of the darkness. She looks harried and distraught, her ponytail blowing in the wind. Spock turns to her, and his face lights up in a way only she can take notice of as she takes both of his wrinkled hands in hers. She squeezes them gently, conveying hundreds of human emotions in that simple gesture. Though he is not used to such contact, he allows her to hold on to him for a few minutes longer.

"I'm sorry I'm late," she says quietly, "There's so much still to do, and I'm terrible at keeping track of the time it seems."

She smiles at him, tears in her eyes.

"Do you really have to go?"

He searches those bright brown eyes, hopeful in the growing twilight. She feels like the daughter he never had, and for an instant he is afraid to let her go. He nods reluctantly, however.

"My time here is over. I am no longer need, though there is still so much more yet to be accomplished, however, it is not my right to see it fulfilled. I am placing the rest of Vulcans future into the people's hands, as it should be."

Uhura nods and takes one hand away to wipe at the tears flowing down her cheeks. She murmurs an apology for her inability to keep her emotions in check, and Spock shakes his head firmly to stop her. If there is anything he has learned from this entire situation it has been to not overlook the emotions of others, hidden or otherwise.

"Do not apologise for your humanity, Nyota. It is what makes you who you are. No one should take that away from you."

She nods, and lets his hands drop gently and takes a step back, tears still threatening to brim over and spill down her cheeks. Spock Prime gives her a rare smile then, something he is sure she will always treasure, and salutes her as he did his Father. In his native Vulcan tongue Spock repeats to her the familiar words of parting that he can only hope will ring true for her at some point in her life.

"Live long and prosper, Nyota."

She raises her hand in farewell and responds in the same tongue, her voice lyrical as it is carried to me on the wind.

"Peace and long life, Spock."

Spock ponders the irony of the words, noting to himself the response he gave T'Pau so many decades ago upon the aftermath of his pon farr. It was a much different time and place back then, and it warms his heart to realise now that he has had both peace and a long life, though he was not aware of it at the time.

Nyota smiles back and waves in a very human fashion as Spock boards his small ship. Taking his place at the controls, he takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. Opening them again Spock finds that he is already rising into the air as Vulcan II becomes smaller and smaller below him. Then he is off with the words of a dear captain and friend ringing in his ears.

"Second star to the right, and straight on till morning . . ."

Authoress' Note: By the way, one of my readers caught a rogue POV shift toward the end of the last chapter that confused her. If you happen to notice me switching between 1st and 3rd POV then please let me know. I hardly ever write in 3rd, so it's a bit of a challenge for me to keep it that way through out the chapter, and sometimes I slip up.