Love Means Living And Dying
Disclaimer: um…no.
A/N: I am SO sorry that this took so long! It would have been at least a week earlier, but this family crisis came up, and I had to temporarily move out, and the place I was staying didn't have a working computer. URRGH. BUT I worked my butt off typing this up for you, and I actually got it done when I promised myself I would! This is the last chapter that is mainly movie! *CHEERS*
Of course, this goes out to adevotedreader, whose encouragement pushed me to type faster. Andalusia, who I met over her awesome Chulu piece 'Do As I Say', whose conversation is delightful, and whose beautiful writing made me want to do better. You ROCK, girl! (I advise you to check her out!). My cousin, whose eternal love and support is amazing and absolutely uplifting. And of course, Highness, my best friend, without whom, I would never have found Star Trek, and would never have survived. Thank you so much for everything you do for me. You guys keep me going.
Now, enough chatter. Let us dive back into the world of Jim and Spock…
Chapter Four: Assignment: Earth
Oh, hell, Jim thought nervously as they were dragged through the ship. How in hell am I supposed to emotionally compromise a repressed Vulcan? Old Spock said that he already was emotionally compromised, but how—how—am I supposed to make him show it? The only way I know how to emotionally compromise anybody involves sexual harassment, and I think Spock would probably kill me if I jumped him. Not that that's much of an exciting prospect anyway. He so did not need that image in his head.
I guess—I guess I'm gonna have to piss him off, Jim decided reluctantly. I do seem to have a knack for it. He sighed almost imperceptibly. The best way to anger Spock would be to go straight for the heart. The open wound. Oh, hell, he thought again, rubbing his forehead wearily. His mom. Oh, I really don't want to do this! He almost groaned aloud as the turbolift came to a halt.
Quickly, he set his shoulders and lifted his chin. The door slid open and the security officers tugged Jim and Scott onto the bridge.
Spock marched up to them. Oh hell. Jim was feeling slightly panicky now. But, true to form, he showed no sign of it. A hint of a smirk touched his face. He's gonna kill me!
Spock ignored Jim completely and spoke directly to Scott. "Who are you?"
Jim and Scott spoke simultaneously. "Ah'm with him."
"He's with me."
"We are traveling at warp speed," Spock continued coolly. "How did you manage to beam aboard this ship?"
"Hey, you're the genius, you figure it out," Jim fired back, smirking.
"As acting captain of this vessel, I order you to answer the question." Finally he was looking at Kirk.
Jim held his gaze. "Well, I'm not telling, Acting Captain." Spock stared at him in silence. "What, d—? What, now, that doesn't frustrate you does it, my lack of cooperation, that-that doesn't make you angry—"
Spock abruptly turned back to Scott. "Are you a member of Starfleet?"
Scott, seeming a bit surprised at being addressed, glanced at Jim. "Ah-um-yes. Cannae get a towel, please?"
"Under penalty of court martial, I order you to explain to me how you were able to beam aboard this ship while moving at warp."
"Well," Scott started.
Jim cut him off, staring straight at Spock. "Don't answer him."
"You will answer me," Spock said tightly. It was not a request.
Scott looked between them for a moment, then, grinning, said "Ah'd rather not take sides."
Jim stepped forward. "What is it with you, Spock?" Jim asked. He locked Spock's eyes with his own. "Your planet was just destroyed, your mother murdered and…you're not even upset." His voice was soft, questioning.
"If you are presuming that these experiences in any way impede my ability to command this ship, you are mistaken." Spock's voice was controlled, but Jim could see the anger boiling dangerously just below the surface.
"And yet, you were the one who said fear was necessary for command, I mean, did you see, his ship, do you see what he did?"
"Yes, of course I did," Spock responded quickly, quietly. He sounded almost hurt.
"So are you afraid or aren't you?" Jim challenged.
"I will not allow you to lecture me about the merits of emotion." His tone was even tighter, tension humming through his body. His words quivered ever so slightly. He was close, Jim could see.
"Then why don't you stop me?" Jim taunted, his own body subconsciously tensing in anticipation. Just a little more, he thought.
"Step away from me, Mr. Kirk." Jim knew that this was a warning, not an order, but even though his brain was yelling, 'hello, Vulcans are three times stronger than humans, you idiot...!' he ignored it and got right up in Spock's face.
"What is it like not to feel anger? Or heartbreak? Or the need to stop at nothing to avenge the death of the woman who gave birth to you?"
"Back away from me." Spock's voice was low, dangerous, thrumming with bottled emotion, but still Jim ignored him.
"You feel nothing!" he yelled. "It must not even compute for you!" He ignored his brain and the cruel words burst out. "You NEVER loved her!"
Spock roared and slammed his fist into Jim's jaw. Jim fell back against Cupcake, dazed. Spock grabbed him by the front of his shirt, pulled him around, and threw him against a console. Jim surged up and tried to hit back, but Spock knocked aside his punches with frightening ease. Spock backhanded Jim in the stomach, and Jim stumbled back, doubling over. Spock advanced and Jim barely got his arms up in time to block the overhand blow.
But Spock was inhumanely fast and slapped his hand into Kirk's side, then his face again, sending the blond flying into another console. The human clambered up to block two more punches, before the Vulcan gave him another backhand, this one in the jaw, and he fell back, rolling along the console.
He fell onto his back and Spock's hand was immediately around his throat. Jim tugged at the burning wrist, trying futilely to breathe, but Spock didn't budge.
Jim looked up into black, fury-filled eyes. Spock was going to kill him. Better than being eaten by a crab-thing, Jim thought dizzily. Come on, Spock, let go, Jim pleaded. Oh man, I'm gonna die…
"Spock." A cultured, disapproving, stern voice broke the utter silence on the bridge. Spock held on, and then…
Jim saw reason, confusion, enter those dark eyes, saw the anger melt. Spock's eyes traveled down to the hand around Jim's throat and widened marginally. He jerked his hand away and backed up, shock and fear on his face.
Jim wheezed, gasping for air through a bruised throat, but he kept his eyes on Spock.
Spock turned slowly to face his father and Nyota, who had a look of fear and horror on her face. Breathing heavily, he averted his eyes.
Jim pushed himself up on his elbows, watching carefully. Spock walked over to McCoy, head down, looking shaken to the core. He did not look at the doctor. "Doctor, I am no longer…fit for duty. I hereby relinquish my command based on the fact that I have been…emotionally compromised. Please note the time and date in the ship's log." His voice was trembling.
Without another word, he walked off. Uhura walked up to him and he looked at her for a brief moment. She nodded and he left the bridge alone.
For a long moment, there was silence.
"I like this ship," Scott declared loudly. "Y'know, it's exciting!"
"Well, congratulations, Jim," McCoy growled. "Now we've got no captain and no goddamn First Officer to replace him."
"Yeah we do." Jim shoved himself off the panel he was sitting on and moved to the command chair.
"What?"
"Pike made him First Officer," Sulu told everyone as Jim settled into the chair.
"You gotta be kiddin' me!" McCoy exclaimed furiously.
Jim cut his eyes at his friend. "Thanks for the support," he said dryly.
Uhura stopped beside his chair. "I sure hope you know what you're doing. Captain."
Several snappy comebacks popped into his head, but he simply said, "So do I."
He hit the button for ship's intercom. "Attention crew of the Enterprise, this is James Kirk. Mr. Spock has resigned commission and advanced me to acting captain. I know you were all expecting to regroup with the fleet, but I'm ordering a pursuit course of the enemy ship to Earth, I want all departments at battle stations and ready in ten minutes. Either we're going down…or they are. Kirk out."
This isn't how I imagined becoming a Captain, he thought grimly.
Shoving that thought away, he called to Sulu and Chekov. They had work to do.
Spock heard the announcement numbly as he made his way through the corridors. His emotions were raging inside him, his thoughts whirling.
Fear. How could I lose control in such a way? How could I—? I could have killed him! I would have, had Father not called out to me.
He was angry, so angry. At Kirk, suggesting he never loved her. How dare he? At himself. If he had reached out sooner, kept his hold on her—No, illogical, how I could have known—but if I had only reached out—
But above all, anger at Nero. The bastard responsible for the death of his planet, his home, his mother. The bastard who took away everything he held most dear.
Before he knew it, he was in the transporter room, climbing onto the pad. His mind was still whirling as he stared blankly at the place where she would have been. Where she should have been.
He knew when his father came up behind up but said nothing. He desired solitude. He hoped his father would just leave.
"Speak your mind, Spock," Sarek said.
Nero—bastard—Mother—if I had only reached out—Mother!—Jim Kirk—always loved her—Nero—"That would be unwise," Spock replied quietly.
"What is necessary, is never unwise."
There was a pause. "I am as conflicted as I once was as a child," he admitted.
"You will always be a child of two worlds, Spock," Sarek told him. "I am grateful for this. And for you."
Spock turned to his father, tortured. "I feel anger for the one who took Mother's life. An anger I cannot control."
Sarek walked to him slowly. "I believe, that she would say…do not try to." Spock looked at him. "You asked me once, why I married your mother. I married her because I loved her," he whispered. Pain was in his face. Spock's eyes widened slightly.
Sarek turned and walked heavily out of the room. Spock dropped his eyes. His anger ebbed slightly in the face of this information.
He returned to his quarters and methodically set up his candles. Settling into a meditative pose, he closed his eyes and evened his breathing.
His face relaxed. Until that moment, he had not realized how much it had disturbed him to think that his mother, whom he loved so dearly, had not been loved by the one she loved so much. The thought that his father had married her only because it was logical, when she so blatantly and freely adored him, caused Spock no small amount of pain. He simply could not stand the idea that his mother's love, which was so precious to him, was not appreciated and reciprocated. He had always known, by his father's actions, that Sarek loved Amanda. But his father was so very logical. Some part of him always doubted that Sarek could do anything so emotional. Now, he knew for certain that that part of him was wrong.
Concentrating on the relief brought on by his father's words, he relaxed his mind and began to calm himself. The anger was still there, but now it was reined in, in a tight box, under his control. The sadness and pain could be shoved away to be examined at a later date. His anger at Kirk…. He replayed the fight in his mind, watching objectively, keeping his emotions in check.
With each blow that connected with skin, he had absorbed a bit of Kirk's emotions. At the time, they had been eclipsed by his own rage. Now, he could examine them more closely. His brow furrowed. Strange… He sensed no malevolence, no contempt…not even anger. In fact he sensed very little, except focus and a tinge of fear.
He puzzled over it for several minutes, but could determine no solution. There was no time to ponder the matter further. He climbed to his feet. Swiftly, he blew out his candles and slid the mat under his bed.
He paused before his door. Taking a deep, steadying breath, he strode out of his quarters and headed for the bridge.
On the bridge, Jim, Sulu, Chekov, and McCoy were discussing tactics.
Well…sort of.
"Whatever the case, we need to get aboard Nero's ship undetected," Jim was saying.
"We can't just go in there guns blazing, Jim," Bones retorted.
"I'm telling you, the math doesn't support—" Sulu muttered as Chekov tapped eagerly on Jim's shoulder.
"Keptin Kirk, Keptin Kirk!"
"Keptin Kirk!" he said again, as Jim responded, "Yes, Mr. Chekov, what is it?"
McCoy, Sulu and Uhura all shifted their attention to the prodigy.
"Based on ze Narada's course from Wulcan," Chekov began quickly, "I hawe projected zat Nero will trawel past Saturn. Like you said, we need to stay inwisible to Nero, or he'll destroy us." The matter-of-fact way he said this almost made Jim want to laugh. Scott—Jim had taken to calling him Scotty—came up to the group, listening intently as he rubbed one ear with a towel, as the boy continued.
"Eef Mr. Scott can get us to warp factor four and eef we drop out of warp behind one of Saturn's moons, say, Titan, ze magnetic distortion from ze planet's rings will make us inwisible to Nero's sensors. From zere, as long as ze drill is not actiwated, we can beam aboard ze enemy's ship."
"Aye, that might work," Scotty piped up. Jim considered it, mind racing.
"Wait a minute, kid," McCoy said. "How old're you?"
"Sewenteen, sir," Chekov chirped happily.
"Oh—Oh good, he's seventeen," Bones said sarcastically, turning to Jim.
A new voice cut into the discussion. "Doctor." They jerked around to see Spock standing in the doorway as if the fight had never happened. He looked perfectly calm, in control. "Mr. Chekov is correct," he continued, stepping down toward them. "I can confirm his telemetry. If Mr. Sulu is able to maneuver us into position, I can beam aboard Nero's ship, steal back the black hole device, and if possible, bring back Captain Pike."
Jim, who had been looking at Spock intently, regret and shame filling him, spoke up. "I won't allow you to do that, Mr. Spock." He didn't want to put the Vulcan in any more danger. I've hurt you enough for one day. He felt strangely protective of the man who stood before him. Besides, he thought, I think we could be friends. I don't want you killed before I can find out. And apologize.
"Romulans and Vulcans share a common ancestry," Spock stated evenly. "Our cultural similarities will make it easier for me to access the ship's computer to locate the device." His eyes traveled down for a moment, before coming back up to them, almost defiant. "Also, my mother was human. Which makes Earth the only home I have left."
Jim felt a rush of compassion and camaraderie. He might be really, really good at hiding it, but Spock wanted to protect Earth as much they did. Maybe more. He cared, a lot.
Jim stepped forward until he was standing right in front of Spock. His blue eyes searched the Vulcan face, apprehension shining in them, as well as hesitancy and apology.
"Then I'm coming with you," he replied quietly.
Spock met Jim's eyes. "I would cite regulation, but I know you would simply ignore it."
Jim smiled, almost laughed. "See," he said dryly. "We are getting to know each other." He didn't punch me this time. Well, that's progress. He didn't even look angry, not that that says much, with Vulcans. Jim was happy that he had at least a chance of making things right.
He clapped Spock on the shoulder and moved past him. After a moment, Spock looked over his shoulder after the blond, and his brows furrowed ever so slightly in confusion.
Sulu's fingers flew over his console. "All stop in three…two…one."
The Enterprise fell out of warp and into the noxious red gasses around Saturn. "Give me one-quarter impulse burst for five seconds," Sulu ordered. "I'll do the rest with thrusters. On my mark."
"Aye," Chekov responded softly.
"Fire."
They rose out of the gaseous cloud to hover over the rings of Saturn. Sulu breathed an almost imperceptible sigh of relief and hit the ship comm on his panel. "Transporter room. We are in position above Titan."
"Really?" Scotty replied in surprise. "Fine job, Mr. Sulu, well done."
The doors to the transporter room opened and Jim, Spock, and Uhura strode in, the men sporting utility belts around their waists.
"How are we, Scotty?" Jim asked.
"Unbelievably, sir, the ship is in position." Jim paused over the console and hit the comm. Behind him, Spock was in place on the pad.
"Whatever happens Mr. Sulu, if you think you have the tactical advantage, you fire on that ship, even if we're still on board, that's an order."
There was hardly a pause before the "Yes, sir," came, but Sulu's tone was reluctant.
"Otherwise we'll contact the Enterprise when we're ready to be beamed back."
"Good luck," Sulu said.
Jim cut the connection and stepped onto the pad beside Spock, who was now making out with Uhura. WAIT… Jim did a double take a moment later. His facial expression could only be described by the single thought running through his mind. What…the…HELL?
He was totally bewildered. Spock was a VULCAN. They didn't DO that. And Uhura…what the hell was she thinking? Sure she was smart, even reasonable, but she was almost as emotional as Jim. What. The. FUCK?
But it was also kinda…interesting. What does she see in him? What does he see in her? And where had he learned to kiss like that? Surely he hasn't done this kind of thing before…!
Okay, this was getting ridiculous. Jim was considering clearing his throat, or even just saying, 'Yo, mission, Romulans, destruction of life as we know it, ring any bells? No?' when they broke apart.
"I will be back," Spock whispered.
"You better be," she responded fiercely. Her eyes were wet. "I'll be monitoring your frequency."
"Thank you, Nyota," he said, with so much sincerity that she might have just saved the life of his firstborn. Jim's brow furrowed in confusion and realization. Uhura glanced over at him, then walked off the pad, past a Scotty who peeked at her, wide-eyed.
Jim leaned toward Spock. "So, her first name's Nyota?"
"I have no comment on the matter," he said quickly.
Scotty spoke. "Okey-dokey then, if there's any common sense in the design o' the enemy's ship, Ah shuld be puttin' ya somewhere in the cargo bay. Shouldn't be a soul in sight."
"Energize," Jim commanded.
The transporter hummed to life, white light swirled around them, and their ship was gone.
They materialized in the cargo bay, just as Scotty had predicted. Unfortunately, that was as far as his gift of prophecy extended. Romulans were scattered all around the space.
There was a pause as the two looked around. Then the Romulans seemed to get over their shock, and started shouting at each other. Kirk and Spock started to run, firing phasers as they went. They ducked behind a low wall, and simultaneously rose up again, firing.
They moved away to get a better angle on the last few Romulans. Spock paused and pulled his trigger several times and Romulans dropped like flies. Jim continued forward and carefully took out the last enemy.
He felt someone creep up to his shoulder and didn't have to look to know with absolute certainty that it was Spock.
"I'll cover you," he breathed.
"Are you certain?" the Vulcan asked.
Jim nodded once. "Yeah, I gotcha."
Spock stood cautiously and edged forward. Jim paused, reset his phaser to kill, and followed.
Spock crouched by a fallen Romulan—the only one still alive, as Jim had changed his phaser to stun before shooting him—and placed his fingers on the man's face. A Romulan passing by caught sight of them and lifted his weapon, but he went down immediately and Jim moved to Spock's elbow, alert for danger.
"Do you know where it is?" Jim asked under his breath. "The black hole device?"
Spock's eyes opened and his hand moved from the Romulan's face. "And Captain Pike," he answered, standing. Together, the two made their way carefully through the ship.
Eventually, they came to what appeared to be a hanger. Jim stared up at a ship he recognized. The Jellyfish, Ambassador Spock's vessel. The duo boarded the craft quickly.
"I foresee a complication," Spock said as they moved through the ship. "The design of this ship is far more advanced than I had anticipated."
The computer came to life. "Voice print and face recognition analysis enabled. Welcome back, Ambassador Spock."
"Wow, that's weird," Jim said casually, moving past Spock and avoiding eye contact.
"Computer. What is your manufacturing origin?" Spock asked, an intent expression on his face.
"Stardate 2387. Commissioned by the Vulcan Science Academy."
Spock thought for a moment, then followed Jim, finding him on the bridge. "It appears that you have been keeping important information from me," Spock announced.
Jim turned as Spock approached him, so they were suddenly standing face-to-face, inches apart.
"You'll be able to fly this thing, right?" was Jim's only response.
Spock gave him a calculating look. "Something tells me I already have."
"Good luck." Jim turned and strode away.
"Jim." Jim's step faltered and he turned back. Spock had called him by his first name. Progress. We are getting somewhere! He thought triumphantly. "The statistical likelihood that our plan will succeed is less than four point three percent."
"It'll work." Jim tried to leave again, but Spock stepped toward him this time.
"In the event that I do not return, please tell lieutenant Uhura—"
"Spock. It'll work." You better not die. Uhura would rip my insides out. And I don't particularly want you dead either. It'd be a waste of talent.
Jim looked at Spock a moment more before finally leaving the bridge. Spock stared after him for a second, wondering if it was the last time he would see the young captain. Turning briskly, he sat in the command chair, which instantly began to turn to face the main console and forward window.
"Fascinating."
Jim sprinted through the hanger. He had to get out before Spock powered all the way up and had to blast out of the hanger. He glanced back one last time. Spock was framed in the circular window.
It would work.
Jim crept through a dank corridor, phaser at the ready. He came to an open platform, one of many protruding from the walls of the huge pit that seemed to take up most of the ship.
Every muscle tensed and he aimed his phaser at the lone figure on the catwalk above his head. Nero.
"Nero, order your men to disable the drill or I will—Ah!"
A phaser rifle slammed into the side of his head, knocking him to the ground. His phaser slid off the edge of the platform. Nero moved quickly to stand over him, a sneer on his lips. "I know your face from Earth's history." He grabbed Jim by the shirt and threw him. He pulled Jim up again and slammed his knee into the blonde's stomach. Nero hit him a few more times before letting the human fall to all fours.
The Romulan yanked Kirk up yet again and this time Jim managed to punch his adversary in the face before getting pounded and tossed away.
Spock fired the Jellyfish's weapons at the hanger doors until they collapsed, and then he flew free of the Narada's clutching spines, straight toward the blue sphere of Earth.
"James T. Kirk was considered to be a great man," Nero snarled as he bent over the man in question, his hand around the human throat. "He went on to captain the USS Enterprise. But that was another life. A life I will deprive you of just like I did your father."
Spock's craft whistled through the atmosphere. He fired non-stop at the metal thread that supported the drill, until it shattered. The drill tumbled down and splashed into the ocean, missing the ancient Golden Gate Bridge by mere feet (a lucky thing. The San Franciscans would have been absolutely furious if it had been destroyed).
A surge of triumph went through him. Yes.
A voice came over the intercom, telling Nero that the Jellyfish was gone, and the drill was destroyed.
"Spock!" Nero roared. "Spock!" His hands slipped off Jim's tender neck and the young captain could breathe again.
Yes! he thought. Way to go, Spock!
Jim was forgotten as Nero jumped spectacularly to another platform and ran off.
He pulled himself to a semi-sitting position. Then he glanced up. Shit.
The Romulan with the phaser rifle was standing there, gun in hand, a smirk playing across his face.
Shit.
Spock glanced at his comm screen as it came alive. Nero's livid face filled the frame. "Spock. I knew I should have killed you when I had the chance."
Spock then responded with something only Spock would have been able to say under the circumstances. "I hereby confiscate this illegally obtained ship and order you to surrender your vessel."
The channel cut.
Spock pulled his craft into warp as missiles streaked toward him. The Narada quickly followed suit.
Jim leaped off his platform and almost missed the next. His chest slammed into it with a thud, and his arms scrambled. He legs dangled dangerously over the pit that was vaguely reminiscent of the one from Star Wars.
The Romulan landed solidly, on his feet in front of Jim. Show-off, Jim thought. The Romulan reached down and lifted Jim up by his throat.
This is the third time in one day I've been strangled, he thought. What the hell?
"Your species is even weaker than I expected," the Romulan told him.
Jim strained to say something. "You can't even speak." The Romulan was smirking again. Jim tried again. The Romulan pulled Jim closer, maneuvering his grip to free Jim's airway slightly. "What?" he demanded.
"I got your gun," Jim gasped, drawing it up and pulling the trigger. The Romulan dropped him and he grabbed on to the edge of the platform. The unfortunate Romulan tumbled down into the pit, as Jim pulled himself up, and grabbed the gun.
Spock set his ship on a collision course. Nero opened fire and Spock narrowly dodged.
"Incoming missiles," the computer told him placidly. "If the ship is hit, the red matter will be ignited."
"Understood." Spock set his jaw, determined. Nero was going to be taken down, even if that meant that Spock had to go down with him. The Earth would be safe.
He didn't see the Enterprise drop out of warp, phasers blazing.
Jim shot down the guard and went to Captain Pike's side.
"What're you doing here?" Pike asked weakly as Kirk holstered his gun and started working on the restraints binding the Captain to the table.
Pike grabbed the gun and fired and the Romulans who had been sneaking up fell to the ground.
Jim heaved Pike's arm around his shoulder and shouted, "Enterprise, now!"
They materialized on the pad and Jim looked over to Spock. A huge grin spread across his face as Spock stepped down from the pad. They were all in one piece!
"Nice timing, Scotty!"
Scotty was laughing delightedly. "I've never beamed three people from two targets onto one pad before!"
The door slid open and medics swarmed in, Bones in front, looking frantic and worried.
"Jim!" McCoy cried, running straight toward him, looking like he wanted grab Jim into a bear hug. The doctor in him led him to take Pike instead.
"Bones!"
They all rushed out of the room. Scotty called after them, feeling a little put out, "That was pretty gud!"
Spock and Jim walked onto the bridge in step.
"Keptin," Chekov called, smiling. "Ze enemy ship is losing power, zeir shields are down, sir."
"Hail them now," Jim ordered. He and Spock moved to stand in front of the viewscreen.
"Aye."
Nero's face flashed onto the screen, though by the way it flickered, it was clear that the Narada was having a few technical difficulties.
"This is Captain James T. Kirk of the USS Enterprise. Your ship is compromised. You're too close to the singularity to survive without assistance, which we are willing to provide."
Spock's eyes shifted down, startled. He turned so that he and Jim were shoulder to shoulder, facing opposite directions. "Captain, what are you doing?"
Jim turned too, leaning toward Spock. "Show them compassion, may be the only way to earn peace with Romulus, it's logic, Spock," Jim whispered back. "I thought you'd like that."
Spock made a considering face. "No, not really," he decided. He cut his gaze at Jim, meeting blue eyes. "Not this time."
Jim grinned slightly.
Nero's voice interrupted. "I would rather suffer the death of Romulus a thousand times, I would rather die in agony, than accept assistance from you."
"You got it," Jim agreed feelingly. He and Spock broke, walking opposite directions around the helm to their stations. "Arm phasers, fire everything we've got," Jim ordered.
"Yes, sir," Sulu replied, obeying.
The Romulan ship fell to pieces under the Enterprise's weaponry. As it crumbled, it disappeared into the black hole, wiped out of existence.
After twenty-five years, Nero, at last, was gone. But the damage he had done—the lives he had taken, the destinies he had changed—could never be reversed.
"Sulu, let's go home!" Jim yelled.
"Yes, sir!"
The ship hummed beneath them, but they weren't moving…
"Why aren't we at warp?" Jim demanded over the noise of the groaning engines.
"We are, sir!" Chekov replied.
Jim shoved a button on the arm of his chair. "Kirk to Engineering, get us outta here, Scotty."
"You bet ye're arse, Captain!" the Scotsman cried.
The Enterprise was slowly being sucked into the black hole.
"Captain, we can't, the gravity well has got us!" Scotty yelled. At least, that was what it sounded like. Regardless, the meaning was clear.
"Go to maximum warp, push it!"
"I'm giving 'er all she's got Cap'n!" Scotty shouted over the straining of the engines.
Cracks splintered through the ceiling on the bridge. "All she's got isn't good enough! What else ya got?"
"Um, okay," Scotty said, thinking frantically. "Ah, if we eject the core and detonate, the blast culd be enough to push us away, Ah cannae promise anythin' though!"
The cracks spread over the viewscreen.
"DO IT, DO IT, DO IT!" Jim yelled.
They waited with baited breath.
There was an explosion of blinding white light and they were slammed back into their seats as the Enterprise burst away from the deadly hole in space. The entire ship shuddered as it struggled to break away and then they were free, zooming through space.
Sulu sat back and heaved a huge sigh of relief. Jim took a few deep breaths. He turned in his chair, looking toward the science station. Spock gave him a miniscule nod, approval in his eyes.
Jim turned back to the front, a huge grin spreading over his face. Sulu saw it and he was smiling as he looked over at Chekov, who smiled back.
Amazingly, unbelievably, impossibly, they had done it. They were alive, their ship was in one piece(mostly), and the Earth was safe.
There was a smile on every face (except Spock's, and he looked happier than anyone had ever seen him) and they were all reveling in their spectacular victory. They couldn't wait to go home, for their own reasons.
The thing they were all looking forward to the most though, was a nice long nap.
A/N: In the next chapter we finally cut away from the movie, which is a bit of a relief, because as awesome as it is, this will give me more creative freedom. Unfortunately for you guys, it means that my updating will probably get even more erratic, because my muse will have to fly by the seat of her pants, rather than building on a solid foundation. She is very ADD, and will randomly and totally without my permission just skip off, chasing butterflies, or some such nonsense.
As you know, Reviews=love, and anyone who reviews will be given a chocolate covered Spock. Whoa, what a mental image…*fans self* 'S it hot in here?
Yeah, well, if you have any requests or ideas for this story, or even another, I'd love to hear them. I can't promise to write them, because you know, real life and that shit. *eyeroll* but I will try my best!
Love y'all!