Happy Election Day!

The blast hits the ship, and we all shift. Alana's friend Amber falls in front of me, near Sulu. I look up at the giant viewing screen only to see the Romulans have once again gone cloaked.

"It's okay. It's okay." Sulu helps Ashley up, and I feel a tug on the back of my chair. I turn around and find Alana.

"What do you need me to do, captain?" she asks, standing up.

"Keep on the lookout for Romulans," I answer, staring at the screen. "You're my temporary First Officer until Spock gets back."

"I am?" she asks.

"She is?" her friend Ashley asks.

"Yes. Miss Sulu, I'm promoting you to acting ensign for now." I smile over at the two girls, who look overjoyed. "Mr. Sulu, I'm promoting you to Acting Captain. Alana, you'll act as First Officer and Lieutenant Millard, you'll take over Mr. Sulu's post."

"Yes, sir." Amber nodded. She replaced Sulu, and I stood up, who had a seat in my chair.

"If anything at all happens to appear, you are to notify me immediately. Is that clear?" I asl.

A chorus of "yes sir" echoes around the bridge, from the few people that are here.

"Ji- er, captain?" Alana asks. I can see a flicker of doubt flash across her face, and I can tell she's nervous.

"You'll do great." I smile at her before walking to my quarters and lying down. A few minutes pass and she knocks on my quarters.

"Ah, Commander Pike. I thought you'd like your taste of command." I smile, letting her in. She walks over to my bed, standing near it, and she sighs.

"I kind of stole it from Sulu last time you went away." She smiles slightly. "What's wrong?"

That's when I notice Bones in the doorway. He walks in and stands by Alana.

"I honestly wish I were somewhere with no responsibility. When I'm on the bridge I see everyone waiting for me to make the next move, to give the next order..." I sigh. "And Bones, Alana, what if it's the wrong one?"

"Jim-" Alana begins, but I interrupt her.

"I don't really expect an answer." I sit up, and Bones steps forward.

"Well, I have one." He folds his arms. "I seldom say this to many people. In this galaxy, there's a mathematical probability of three million Earth-type planets. And in all of the universe, three million million galaxies like this. And in all of that, and perhaps more, only one of each of us. Don't destroy the one named Kirk."

After a pause, Bones turns and walks out. "I'm going back to medbay."

It's just me and Alana left. She smiles, offering a hand.

"I don't think you want to get caught sleeping on the job."

"No, I don't. Thank you, Commander."

We walk up to the bridge together. Everything remained quiet, and no one was talking. Everyone watched me, their leader, waiting for the next order.

And in all that, and perhaps more, only one of each of us. Don't destroy the one named Kirk.

Maybe Bones is right. I shouldn't destroy myself over this. As I walked onto the bridge with Alana, Lieutenant Millard got up, and Sulu went back to his seat.

"Captain, something detected at mark 257 bearing 312!" Sulu exclaimed, pointing. Suddenly the object fired at us, shaking the ship.

"Scotty!" I exclaim. "Cut power on the port side except for phaser banks... and on my mark, the starboard."

"Are you crazy?!" Scotty asked.

"No, just do it!" I exclaim.

I hear a sigh, and the power is cut. The ship reappears, and I smile. I've got them.

"Make the starboard side flicker before shutting it off completely. Remember, the phaser banks must stay charged," I reply, leaning on the edge of my chair.

I hear another groan, and then the power starts to flicker. Everything's shut off, everything's dark, and it looks like we've become powerless. Perfect. Suddenly Bones walks onto the bridge.

"Sir, we're drifting!" Sulu exclaims. "Do you want me to correct the course?"

"Let her drift," I reply.

"What're you doing?!" Bones asks. "Are we powerless?"

"No, Bones," I reply.

"You're luring him into a trap... I get it!" Alana exclaims. "One day this will be called the Kirk Maneuver."

"Kirk Maneuver, huh?" I smirk "I like the sound of that."

"One thousand kilometers!" Sulu exclaims.

"Fire!" I exclaim. The ship is unready for the blast, and it looks badly damaged.

"Got 'em!" Scotty's voice sounds over the communications.

"Amazing work on the phasers, Scotty!" I exclaim. "Lieutenant Uhura, hail them. Ship to ship."

"Yes, sir." Uhura nods.

"Humans... we meet at last," their commander begins. We've only seen them because of the Nero incident.

"Prepare to abandon ship and beam your survivors over to our ship," I begin, jumping out of my chair and walking in front of Sulu and Chekov's stations.

"No, it is not our way, captain, and I regret we meet like this. Maybe I could have called you friend in another reality." The Romulan on screen shakes his head.

"Why die? What will that serve?" Alana asks, stepping forward.

"We have duties that we swore to obey... and this is my last."

The view screen switches off, and in a matter of seconds, their ship blows up. I sigh before returning to my chair and sitting.

"Alright... plot a course to rendezvous with the USS Enterprise, NX-01." I sigh. "Can we hail them now?"

"Yes, hailing now," Uhura replies.

"Spock?" I ask.

"Captain." Spock stands up. "I see Dr. McCoy, Lieutenant Commander Pike, Ms. Sulu and Lieutenant Millard made it onto your ship."

Lieutenant Commander Pike? Since when did Alana get a promotion?

I nod. "We'll be with you soon.

"Jim." Bones' voice sighs, sounding tired. "You might want to get down here. It's Carissa."

"Sulu, you have the bridge!" I exclaim, quickly jumping to the turbolift. "Mr. Sulu."

Ashley nods understandably, while Amber replaces Sulu again. Alana stands there as I run out, and when I get to medbay, I find Carissa on one of the beds with injuries all over. Bones is rushing around trying to fix her.

"She was in the area of the ship where they hit..."

I walk over to her, holding her hand and smiling. "Hey. Carissa."

"J- Jim?" she asks, smiling slightly.

"Yeah, it's me." I nod, squeezing her hand.

"I'm sorry I'm dying." Carissa sighs, coughing a little, and wincing when Bones stabbed her with a hypo.

"It's my fault for not protecting you," I reply.

"Jim, we're taking her to surgery. I'll call you when it's finished. You should get back to the bridge," Bones says.

I nod. "Okay."

"Was I more than just a temporary girlfriend?" Carissa asks. "After the one-night stand?"

I don't get to answer before she's wheeled away, and it makes me think. Was she? I've never really thought about women and a long term relationship yet.