Unfinished Business
Chapter 7 : Danger
February, 2273
In the Vulcan desert, in a region of rocks and fumaroles and hot pools of mud, there knelt an adult Vulcan male, clothed in the robes of a kolinahr penitent of some years standing. He had his hands clasped in front of him, the first two fingers of each hand extended and touching each other. His head was bowed. While he knelt there, in deep meditation, something called out to him. He was aware that there was something there, something that he should be concerned with. He stood, looking into the sky, his hand raised to shield his eyes, but there was nothing there. Nothing at all in that direction except the planet where could be found the headquarters of the Federation and its defensive and exploratory service, Starfleet. He did not understand why he felt such a strong pull in that direction, why his very katra seemed torn. He had put all that aside. Finally. It had taken him two long years, and more, but he had done it. Had he not?
As darkness began to fall across the rocky plateaus of the high desert, he began to climb the rough stone stairs, toward the towering statues of the Vulcan Warriors, standing guard with their lirpas, where the adepts awaited him. He offered the ta'al to the three standing there at the foot of the warrior, and they returned the gesture. The adepts spoke to him, of the meaning of kolinahr, and of his long struggle to attain its peace. And in her hands, the leader of them all held a medallion, ready to offer it to him, as a symbol of what he had done, how he had progressed, what he had attained.
He knelt before her, and she raised the medallion, on its beaded thong, ready to slip it over his head. But he raised his hand, blocking her. He could not accept this. He had not truly attained his goal. He felt. He was needed. And he could not deny those who had need of him. He could not deny what he felt. Although he strained to subdue it, it was there. And he must respond. There was great danger, and his place was in opposing it.
The leader of the three looked at him, and then she laid her hand upon his face, and joined their minds. She withdrew and looked upon him, stating that she could feel him being drawn across space, that there was a consciousness there that sought him. And that his human side felt it and desired to answer. He had not attained kolinahr. He would not find his answers here, in this place, in this discipline. And she dropped the medallion on the ground in front of him, and turned and walked away, the other two following her.
Spock stayed there, kneeling, after they had disappeared. At length, he picked the medallion up off the ground and held it, looking at it. And realized, deep inside, that this had never been the correct answer, that he could not purge himself of what he felt, of how he responded. That these feelings were a part of him that could not be separated out from the rest of him without destroying who he was. He was not sure how to react, what to do. He had been here long, subduing parts of himself, trying to become someone else, something other than what he was. He did not know now who he was, or what he was, only that there was something that he must do.
Eventually, he rose, and stalked away across the desert. When he came to a place where there were communications, he contacted his father, who came quickly and transported him home, asking no questions, demanding no answers. In the room where he had grown from a child, he washed his body, and cut his hair, and found that new clothing had been provided for him, suitable to his station. And when he had greeted his parents, and endured his mother's tears, and her scolding, he asked to use the comlink, and contacted StarFleet, and asked to take his commission back, to aid against the great danger that was coming. A ship was sent for him in great haste.
At the main StarFleet terminus, Admiral James Kirk exited from the monorail car onto the main level, and almost immediately saw the newly appointed science officer for the Enterprise, Commander Sonak. He held a quick conversation with the Vulcan, as he headed for his meeting with Admiral Nogura. Sonak appeared surprised when Kirk informed him that the Enterprise would be leaving dock in twelve hours, not the twenty that Decker had told him, and even more surprised when Kirk told him to report to him there in one hour. Report to Kirk, and not to Decker. The Vulcan stood there, after Kirk had walked quickly away, still not sure what was happening.
When Kirk arrived at the dry dock headquarters, Scotty was there to transport him to the Enterprise in one of the new pods. To Kirk's abrupt query as to why the transporters were not working, Scotty replied that it was just a temporary thing. Scotty asked why the change in departure orders, saying that things were not ready, the crew had not had enough time to familiarize themselves with the new equipment, the engines had not been tested at warp speed, they needed a shake-down cruise. And the Kirk turned to him and informed him that there was a giant object headed for Earth, and only three days away, and the Enterprise was the only starship within range that could hope to intercept it. That was all Scotty needed to hear.
The bridge was in chaos. There were last minute installations and checks going on at all stations. At the communications console, Lieutenant Commander Uhura was answering message after message, promising to send people to hot spots as soon as possible. Kirk stood at the open turbolift doors, surveying the scene. When Uhura saw him there, he stepped forward, and was greeted by Chekov and Sulu, and others that he recognized as well. He was very glad that he had been able to get so many of his original crew back aboard. It would make things so much easier. Uhura informed him that StarFleet Command had just transmitted his orders, and he was filled with pride and eagerness. To be back in space, back on the bridge, even with this unknown ahead of them, was what he needed, what he had desired every minute since the time he had left.
He asked for Decker, and was told that he was in Engineering, and did not know of the change of orders. He told Chekov to assemble the crew, so that he could show them what they were facing, and re-entered the turbolift, headed for Engineering.
He found Decker. He explained what was happening. Decker almost failed to believe him. The man was pissed. He hadn't expected anything else. He tried to apologize, but Decker refused to accept it, not believing him.
Scotty was working at replacing the damaged module in the transporter controller when there was a small explosion and sparks flew. Unfortunately, someone in the transporter bay had activated the transporter without checking to see that it was in working order. Scotty ordered them to break off, to not engage, but it was too late, the beam was already activated. He set off at a run for the transporter bay, Kirk along side.
There were two people in the beam, trying to form without sufficient signal. There were sounds, horrible sounds. And then the signal faded. StarFleet command confirmed that they had not survived. Kirk assured Rand that it had not been her fault, but she did not believe him. Commander Sonak was one of the two crewmen who had been lost. Now the ship was without a science officer. Things were not off to an auspicious start, not at all.