The airlock door rolled open with a hiss and subtle rumble, allowing Spock, McCoy, Sulu, Uhura, and Saavik to step foot onto Deep Space Nine. Meeting them were Silas, Scotty, and Kirk. Kirk's hands were clasped firmly behind his back and his expression was forced into happiness, making even his polite smile look uncomfortable. Scotty, on the other hand, was openly happy to see friends again.
"They made the Vulcan a captain! Shouldn't take losing a ship to get yourself a promotion, Mister Spock," Scotty teased, completely overlooking the Vulcan's attempt at distance by clapping him on the shoulder.
"Yah, and it shouldn't take the ship going down to pry you from the engine room, Scotty," McCoy drawled in return, before breaking out in a big, Southern grin and hugging the old Scotsman.
"Aye, it's good to see you again, Doctor. But good heavens what have they done to your face? Ah!" Scotty turned his attention to Sulu and Uhura, handshakes and hugs all around, "Mister Sulu, my boy you're looking fit! Miss Uhura, did you get my letter last month?"
McCoy barely had time to register Scotty's comment, a bewildered glance to the impassive Spock the only response he could give. As the others reunited, Kirk gave Silas a silent nod. The curmudgeonly constable looked over the group one more time before returning the nod and walking away. He'd come to see the supposed living legends and, apparently dissatisfied with what he saw, was content to head back to his duties. McCoy and Spock stepped down from the airlock to meet Kirk.
"Jim, it is agreeable to see you again," Spock said.
"Christ, Jim, you look like you're fixin' to step into a funeral," McCoy bluntly said.
That briefly broke Kirk's mask, and he favoured his two closest confidants with a thin-lipped smile. A twinkle in his eyes at seeing two people he hadn't seen in a long time.
"Mister Spock, Bones, I had no idea that the Vulcan's Fury was your ship," Kirk replied, "I assumed it had gone to Captain K'Alli."
"Captain K'Alli opted to maintain their position with Vulcan Security," Spock answered, "My tenure with Starfleet Academy was going to end next semester. It was only logical that I be chosen as the next candidate when their schedule was pre-empted by the early completion of the Vulcan's Fury."
"Well, I'm very glad to see you here, now, Captain Spock," Kirk replied, before turning to look at McCoy and scrunching his expression, "Gee, Bones, what a luxurious mane you've sprouted."
McCoy threw his hands to the air in exasperation.
"I can't go nowhere without people raisin' a hoot and a holler about this thing. Since when did everybody start getting picky about the appearance of their lifesavers?"
"I'm teasing, Doctor," Kirk added, grabbing him by the bicep and forearm, "It's good to see you again, Bones."
McCoy returned the gesture, "Feeling's mutual. You don't look too good."
Kirk, again, dodged the subject, relieved that Scotty and the others came to join the conversation.
"Mister Sulu, Uhura," He nodded to both of them, "Quarters have been arranged for all of you if you need them, and I encourage you to take advantage of the Promenade. In the meantime, I must get back to business in Ops, and I hope I can see you all off later."
Despite trying to make a diplomatic exit, Kirk was stopped by Spock.
"Admiral," He said, all Vulcan, all business, "I'm afraid I must first fill you in on the prudent details of our assignment."
"I already know about the mission, Spock, in fact I was going to talk to you later," Kirk said, trying to dislodge himself again, but the Vulcan was persistent.
"What candid timing, Admiral, as I need to talk with you now. I see no reason to delay," Spock turned and dismissed the others and began following Kirk down the hallway, easily catching up to him with long strides.
"Not right now, Spock," Kirk said, "I'm very busy today, I just came down to welcome the crew."
"I do not believe we are incapable of walking and talking at the same time, Admiral," Spcok countered, "We have made polite discussion under much worse circumstances."
Kirk's eyes briefly flared and his face became tightly set, realizing he wouldn't get rid of the dogged Vulcan so simply. He quickened his pace, and Spock matched it.
"Very well, Mister Spock, what do you need to talk about?"
"We are going to be passing through the Bajoran Wormhole in order to make official first contact with the beings known as the Dominion," Spock said, "I would like to request your presence on the mission."
"My presence?" Kirk's step didn't falter, but he increased his pace again.
"Yes, sir. You have had the most experience with the Gamma Quadrant and would be invaluable."
Kirk really wanted this conversation to end. As much as he missed his friends, seeing them by surprise had brought back years of unpleasant memories. Chekov's death, the scuttling of the Enterprise, Sam…
"Request denied, Mr. Spock," Kirk answered abrasively.
"I urge you to reconsider," Spock followed up, "The Dominion require the utmost care, as we know very little about them. An experienced Starfleet officer with experience to their natural territories is a resource that should not be wasted."
The Vulcan's tone was even, steady. He showed no sign of stress or exertion. Kirk despised him all the more for it in this moment, and his next words came off in more anger than he intended.
"Spock, I wrote the damn report to Starfleet warning them not to do this and yet here they are, here you are, running off to do the exact opposite. I'm not sure your judgement is entirely sound."
If the Vulcan was hurt, he did not show it. Mentally, Kirk kicked himself for the comment. It was unnecessary and meant to get Spock away from him. It failed.
"Your refusal to move on from Mister Chekov's death is still permeating your own judgement," Spock countered. There was no malice, it was a simple observation. Worse yet, it was true.
Kirk stopped abruptly and wheeled on his former first officer, preparing to verbally tell him off. However, he never got a chance.
When Kirk whirled to face Spock, he found himself in a white void. His frustration is palpable but vanishes in an instant as he looks around at the blinding whiteness. It takes him a moment to realize where he is.
He turns again and finds himself on that farm in Iowa- the ramshackle, dilapidated wooden farmhouse that his stepfather owned. Fields of tall grass and wheat surround him, and the gravel crunching under his boots echoes into eternity. The sky, which should've been blue and speckled with fluffy clouds was, instead, a blank white void with such piercing brightness he had to look away. A voice speaks to him in the distance, and he has to squint to see them.
"The Kirk is stationary."
It appears to be, Carol Marcus?
"The Kirk is linear."
Suddenly, in front of him, is his stepfather. The drunken, disheveled nightmare himself.
Kirk stumbles back, surprised, and he stumbles right into Spock- or, not-Spock at least. When Kirk turns to look at not-Spock, he finds himself in the gambling hall of the Ferengi establishment on the Promenade. Giant yellow and red stained-glass awnings give the room an up-class aesthetic, breaking the otherwise metal-brown chic.
"The Kirk refuses."
He had not encountered the Prophets or their strange visionary world in some time, but he was no sucker for the same trick twice. Unlike the previous event onboard the Enterprise, he was able to gather his bearings quickly. Standing up straight, smoothing out his uniform, Kirk addressed the not-Spock.
"What the devil are you doing here?"
He blinked, suddenly he was back on the bridge of the Enterprise. Now, to his left, was not-Scotty.
"The Kirk refuses to traverse."
"I refuse to do what?"
To his right, not-Juvia spoke up.
"The Kirk refuses to enter the Temple."
It clicked at that moment, and he turned to address her.
"Listen, apparition, Prophet, whoever you are," He said, speaking quickly with brief breaks between words, "I am not going to the Gamma Quadrant. I don't need to."
Not-Juvia tilted her head to the side, curiously like a puppy.
"The Kirk cannot see."
"What can't I see?"
Not-Scotty spoke again, "Corporeal beings cannot see. The Kirk is not to blame."
As usual, the spirits were talking over him. The fact that he was taking any of this serious made Kirk silently laugh in disbelief at himself.
The familiar, and yet in this place unfamiliar, grumbly voice of Silas spoke behind him. Kirk turned and found himself back on the farm.
"The Kirk must go."
"Go? Go where?" Kirk questioned, "The Gamma Quadrant? The Dominion?"
"The Kirk must go," Not-Silas repeated simply.
"Listen, I don't need to go. My place is on this station, with Bajor," Kirk retorted. It was of little use, the spirits continued to talk at him.
Now in the turbolift, Kirk was cramped in with not-Delphine and not-Juvia. They stared straight across him at each other, blank expressions on their faces and one-note tones to their voices.
"The Kirk is of Bajor."
"The Kirk is the Emissary."
They spoke one after the other, quickly and without a moment for Kirk to get a word in edgewise.
"The Kirk refuses to leave."
"The Kirk is linear. The Kirk must go."
"The Kirk is of Bajor."
"The Kirk cannot see the danger."
"What danger?" Kirk asked, even as he blinked and was suddenly aboard the bridge of a Cardassian cruiser.
Not-Darmak turned in his command chair to face Kirk, the space beyond the viewscreen was empty whiteness. Why was it, no matter where he went in these visions, they were always so damn blindingly bright, void or no void?
"The Kirk must undergo a great difficulty," Not-Darmak said, still casually reclined in the seat, "The Kirk of Bajor must face danger."
Kirk scoffed at the idea.
"Listen, I've already experienced more danger than I need just from meeting you, I don't need-"
He was back on the bridge of the Enterprise, surrounded by not-Spock, not-Juvia, not-Bones, and not-Darmak. They all walked in an unending circle around him, his attention roughly pulled like a spinning tea cup as each one of them talked. One after the other, repeating, ad-nauseum, boring into his brain and soul, giving him vertigo as they surrounded him.
"The Kirk is linear."
"The Kirk is of Bajor."
"The Kirk must face difficulty."
"The Kirk must fight the serpents."
"The Kirk must leave."
"The Kirk must save Bajor."
"The Kirk must go."
"The Kirk must go."
"The Kirk must go."
Kirk stumbled in the hallway, instinctively grabbing onto Spock's arms for support. The Vulcan, with his enhanced strength, easily supported him until he was able to stand again. Kirk was sweating, looking around, gathering his bearings. He made eye contact with Spock, the Vulcan's impassive features showing only the barest hints of concern- save for one arched brow.
"Alright, Spock," Kirk said, gasping for air as if he'd been drowning, "Alright. You've got me, we'll meet the Dominion together."