A/N: Thanks for all the REVIEWS! I love reading them! Enjoy this chapter and remember I don't own anything except Sophie and Pike's family!
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"You've declared war against the Federation. Withdraw, and I'll agree to arrange a conference with Romulan leadership at a neutral loca…" Pike started to say.
"I do not speak for the Empire. We stand apart. As does your Vulcan crewmember... isn't that right? Spock?" Nero replied.
Everyone's eyes flew to Spock who stood up and walked forward to get a better look at Nero.
"Pardon me. But I don't believe you and I are acquainted." Spock replied almost curious.
"No. Not yet." Nero said making Sophie nervous. "I would like you to see something Spock. Captain Pike, your transporter capability is disabled. You will man a shuttle and come aboard the Narada for negotiations. That is all."
And with those last words Nero ended the transmission and the screen went blank. Pike stared at the screen while thinking as everyone else looked at him waiting for their orders. Finally Pike stood up and took a few steps towards the screen.
"He'll kill you, you know…" Jim told Pike.
"Your survival is unlikely." Spock chimed in.
"Captain, we gain nothing by diplomacy, going over to that ship is a mistake."
"I, too suggest you rethink this strategy." Finished Spock.
"I understand that." Pike replied to the two of them before looking around the bridge. "I need officers who have been trained in advance hand-to-hand combat."
"I have training sir." Sulu answered raising his hand.
"Then come with me." Pike told him. "Kirk you too, you're not suppose to be here anyways. Chekov, you have the Con."
"Aye, Keptin." He replied.
Sophie watched as Pike, Spock, Sulu and Jim walked towards the doors to the bridge. She watched as Jim whispered something to Bones before glancing back at her and walking out with Pike, Spock and Sulu. Taking a deep breath Sophie turned back to her panel and got to work, but not before a hand landed on her shoulder.
"Soph." Bones said softly making her turn around.
"How the hell did he get on board Leo?" Sophie hissed.
"I couldn't just leave him Sophie. He was acting all pitiful and all and hell, you know he deserved to be here." Bones replied back quietly.
"I know I know, but God, Leo look at him now. He's going to get himself killed!" she whispered back.
"I know." Bones said quietly back leaning his back against the panel. "Soph, he told me tell you that's he's coming back. And that he's sorry for disappointing you."
"Damn it James." Sophie mumbled.
"How does he think he's disappointing you?"
"Don't tell him I told you but…Jim…he's always, always comparing himself to his dad. Whether it's the tests, the skills, and the grades, everything practically. I've been his best friend since we were 8, and he thinks for some reason if he doesn't live up to his father's reputation and respect that he is disappointing me." Sophie told Bones quietly.
"Jesus." Bones muttered. "Is that all?"
"No that's not it but I can't tell you the other one Leo." She replied quietly.
"Alright Sophie." Bones replied before sighing. "I need to get done to sickbay. I'll see you soon and when he gets back we can both give him hell for it."
Sophie nodded, "Good luck Leo."
"You too." he replied squeezing her shoulders and walking off the bridge.
Down with Pike, Spock, Jim and Sulu
The four men walked quickly through the crowd of the Enterprise to the shuttle bay as Pike instructed them.
"Without transporters, we can't beam off the ship, can't assist Vulcan, and can't do our job. I'm creating an opportunity: Kirk, Sulu and Olson from engineering will space-jump from the shuttle. You'll have chutes…you'll then land on that machine they've lowered into the atmosphere that's scrambling our gear. You'll get inside, disable that thing then beam back to the ship." Pike told them.
"Mr. Spock, I'm leaving you in command of the ship. Once we have transport capability and communications back up, you'll contact Starfleet and report what the hell's happening here." Pike instructed Spock stopping right outside of the lift. If all else fails, fall back and rendezvous with the fleet in the Laurentian System. Kirk," he said turning to him. "I'm promoting you to First Officer."
"What?!" Jim said surprised.
"Captain?" Spock said at the same time.
"While I'm gone we need to keep the chain of command. And you two make a swell team." He replied with the slightest smirk.
"Captain. Please. I apologize, but the complexities of human pranks escape me."
"It's not a prank, Spock. And I'm not the Captain. You are." Pike finished before getting on the lift with Sulu and Jim leaving Spock.
"Once we knock out that machine sir, what happens to you?" Jim questioned.
"I guess you'll have to come get me." He replied turning to Spock one final time, "Careful with the ship. She's brand new."
With those last words the lift doors closed and Spock headed back to the bridge while Pike, Sulu and Jim headed to the shuttle. They prepare for the shuttle and finally take off into space. Jim finds himself sitting between Sulu and Olsen but he wasn't talking to them, instead he was thinking about Sophie. He missed her and realized he wanted to see her again, wanted to hold her, talk to her, ki…
"Pre-jump on one: Three…two…one." Pike said to them bring him out of his thoughts.
All three men stand up getting ready for the drop.
"Jim." Pike called out suddenly.
"Sir?" he answered confused by the address of his first name.
"Sophie."
"Sir?" Jim asked confused.
"Don't let her go." Pike replied seriously.
Jim smiled to himself looking down. "I don't plan on it." He replied.
Pike nodded, "Good Luck."
With those words he flipped a switch and the shuttle opened dropping Jim, Sulu and Olsen into space.
On the Bridge
Sophie sat on the bridge checking the torpedoes, shields and damages in all areas trying not to think about Jim and the dangers he was in when she heard the bridge doors open. Spock walked in and went straight to the Captain's chair and took a seat making Sophie realize he must be the new Captain.
"Dr. Puri, report." Spock spoke communicating with sickbay.
"It's McCoy. Dr. Puri was on deck 6, he's dead."
"Then you have just inherited his responsibility as Chief Medical Officer." Spock told him after a pause.
"Tell me something I don't know." Bones replied making Sophie smile.
"Away team's entering the atmosphere." Chekov told him.
Sophie sucked in a breath and said a quick pray, asking for Jim to be safe as they listened to the live feed. She heard Jim's voice yelling at Sulu and Olsen and she worried even more.
"The jamming signal's gone, communications are re-established." Uhura reported after 15 minutes.
"Transporter control re-engaged." Chekov said right after her.
"Chekov, run gravitational sensor, I want to know what they're doing to the planet." Spoke asked.
"Aye, Commander, Keptin, sorry. Keptin."
"Kirk to Enterprise - they just launched something toward the planet!" Jim yelled through his communicator.
Oh lord, Sophie thought.
"Keptin, gravitational sensors are off the scale - if my calculations are correct, that pod they launched is creating a singularity... that will consume the planet." Chekov report gravely.
"They're creating a black hole... at the center of Vulcan?" Spoke summed up.
"Yes sir."
"How long does the planet have?"
"…Minutes sir, I'd say minutes."
"Alert Vulcan Command Center to signal a planet wide evacuation, all channels, all frequencies, maintain standard orbit…" said getting up and heading for the lift.
"What? Spock wait!" Uhura said rushing after him. "Where are you going?"
"To evacuate the Vulcan High Council, they're tasked with protecting our cultural history. My parents will be among them…"
"Can't you beam them out?"
"It's not possible, they'll be in the Katrik Arc, and I must get them myself. Mr. Chekov you have the Con." Spock replied before the doors shut on Uhura.
Having watched the whole scene Sophie got up and walked towards her friend.
"Uhura?" Sophie said quietly. "He'll come back."
"I know." She replied turning towards her. "So…"
"ENTERPRISE, WE'RE FALLING WITHOUT A CHUTE! BEAM US UP! BEAM US UP!" Jim's voice came through over the intercom.
"Oh God." Sophie exclaimed quietly.
"Sophie…I know I haven't always been supportive of you with anything having to do with Kirk but…he'll be back. He's going to be ok." Uhura tried to reassure her friend.
Sophie just nodded and hugged her friend quickly before getting back to their stations as they listened to the transmission.
"I'm trying! I can't lock on your signal!" they heard the transporter chief say. "You're moving too fast!"
"No, I can do that, I CAN DO THAT!" Chekov exclaimed jumping up and running towards the bridge doors. "Sophie you have the Con."
Sophie sat there with a blank look on her face glancing at Uhura who was just as confused before they heard the transmission again.
"MOVE! I CAN DO THAT! I CAN DO THAT!" Chekov shouted. "I CAN LOCK ON! GIMME MANUAL CONTROL! QUICK!"
"Enterprise where are you!?" Jim yelled.
"Hold on, hold on, hold on!"
"Now, now, now! Do it NOW!" Jim cried frantically.
"Compensating gravitational pull and GOTCHA!" Chekov said letting Sophie let out the breath she was holding.
Sophie didn't really comprehend the rest of the transmission except for the fact that Spock made it back but not without losing his mother in the process.
Spock walked back onto the bridge 15 minutes later and sat in the Captain's chair about to make a recording.
"Captain?" Sophie asked him turning around in her seat.
"Yes Lieutenant?"
"May I…ask for permission to go to sickbay sir?"
"For what purpose?"
"I would like to see Ji...Kirk sir." Sophie said.
Spock cocked his head to the side before nodding his head. "Permission granted. Be back in hour Lieutenant."
"Yes sir. Thank you." Sophie answered before rushing off the Bridge to sickbay.