Fic: Que Sera Sera (4/15)
Fandom: TOS/TNG/ST XI -slight AU where there isn’t a 16 year gap between the events of Generations and Star Trek 2009.
Pairings: Kirk Prime/McCoy Prime/Spock Prime, Kirk/Spock/McCoy, Scotty/Uhura
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: minor character death
Summary: Spock Prime went to save Romulus from a supernova and failed, leaving him in a universe that is similar and still so different from his own. Meanwhile in another part of the galaxy Kirk Prime was freed from the Nexus by Captain Picard and survived. Not believing that Spock Prime is dead Kirk Prime goes in search of him, and travels to the universe created when Nero went through the black hole. In that universe Kirk and Spock are starting on their five year mission, determined to write their own destinies after their encounters with Spock Prime. Unlike them McCoy doesn’t trust destiny as far as he can throw it, and he has his own problems to deal with, like getting custody of the three year old daughter he didn’t know he had.
Que Sera Sera
McCoy woke up alone. He opened his eyes to see an empty bed, the blanket and sheets beside him neatly pulled in around the mattress. For one terrifying moment he was certain that the events of the last few days were just some desperate fantasy dreamed up by a senile old man, until he heard the sound of someone moving around in the other room.
He got up and found Jim on the couch staring at the computer.
“Don’t you ever take a break?” he asked.
“Just trying to catch up on everything I’ve missed,” Jim said. “You’ve told me a lot, but political issues and Starfleet protocol don’t make good bedroom talk.”
“I’ll agree with that,” McCoy answered, kissing Jim on the cheek and then going to the replicator to track down some coffee for them.
When McCoy returned he set two mugs down on the table and sat down beside Jim. Then he sipped his drink in silence as he watched Jim work.
As McCoy just continued to sit there Jim looked at him, slightly miffed that McCoy felt the need to supervise him.
“You don’t have to babysit me, Bones, I do remember how these things work.”
“I know, Jim, I just…need this.”
Jim’s annoyance disappeared at those words and all at once he was struck by how difficult all of this had to be for McCoy. For Jim it felt like he had left the universe only yesterday, even though everything liked to remind him about how much time had really passed. McCoy on the other hand had lived every one of those nearly eighty years with the certainty that he would never be able to just sit in Jim’s company again. Jim could put up with him being clingy.
“Of course, Bones, and you know I think I can find something better for us to do together,” Jim said, pushing the computer aside.
“Oh you can, can you?” McCoy asked, as Jim leaned in and started kissing the side of his neck.
“Yes, we are guests on this ship after all and I think we should take advantage of the quarters provided to us.”
Jim shifted them until McCoy was flat on the couch and Jim was resting gently on top of him.
“I like this ship, Bones, the rooms are so big now. No need to worry about curious ensigns listening at the doors. We aren’t on duty so there won’t be anything to interrupt us.”
McCoy’s arms came around to grip Jim’s shoulders and he kissed him deeply, they rolled over…
And both of them were suddenly on the floor.
“And I hate that they haven’t made the couches any bigger,” Jim grumbled.
Slowly they got themselves back on the couch in one piece.
“Now where we?” Jim asked with a grin.
“Before or after you tried to break my hip?”
Before they could continue though there was a buzz at the door.
Jim sighed and shifted away from McCoy.
“So much for not being disturbed,” McCoy groused, while Jim acknowledged their visitor.
“Come in,” he called.
Picard came in. In an instant Jim was off the couch and striding towards him, McCoy close behind Jim.
“Jean-Luc, has there been any news?” Jim asked desperately.
Picard looked at both men gravely.
“Yes…I, Jim, Admiral McCoy, Romulus is gone.”
Picard might as well have spoken in Klingon, because Jim couldn’t bring himself to comprehend what he had just heard.
“Gone? What do you mean gone?”
“Our scans of the area report that there is no planet in Romulus’ position anymore.”
Jim just continued to stare at Picard.
“How does an entire planet just disappear?” he asked.
“According to our readings the planet was a casualty of a supernova.”
“Then there could be survivors. Supernovas don’t just come out of nowhere. They would have had warning. They would have evacuated…we have to look for him. We can’t just leave Spock there!”
“Jim, there is nothing there, there is nothing more we can do.”
“That was the same assumption everyone made when I was caught by the Nexus, and I’m still here!”
“Jim, even if there were anything there we cannot cross the neutral zone. You have been away from Starfleet for a long time, and you should know that the Federation no longer engages in…cowboy diplomacy.”
“What diplomacy?! There’s no Romulan Empire to engage in relations with!”
“But there is, Jim. They hold territory beyond their home-world and the loss of that world doesn’t change their borders. Any attempt on the part of the Federation to enter their space will be seen as an attack and dealt with accordingly. I’m sorry.”
“Could you give us a shuttle then? We will take all responsibilities for our own actions. There will be no consequences to Starfleet or the Federation.”
Picard sighed and shook his head. “I’m sorry, I can’t do that. We are returning to Earth now so I can give all these news to the Federation in person and receive further instructions. You can establish yourself in San Francisco while we wait for the investigations to be completed. You may contact Starfleet when we have more information. That is the best we can do right now.”
Picard left the room after that, and McCoy kept a strong grip on Jim’s arm to stop him from going after the other captain and getting himself thrown in the brig.
“Bones, we can’t just stand by and do nothing.”
“I know, Jim, I want Spock back too, and I think I know some people who can help us search for him.”
***
With that conversation between Jim and Picard the trip back to Earth was frosty to say the least. Picard ran the ship and avoided Jim as best as he could, mostly by staying on the bridge and pestering the communications officer for news about the improving health of his family. Not that Jim was deterred as he worked to catch Picard in the halls, ignoring the curious stares he would get from crewmembers who knew their Starfleet history.
Meanwhile McCoy went to work on the computer Jim had abandoned. Using his clearance as an admiral he got in touch with a friend back home. McCoy knew he would help them and that he had a ship they could use. Then he got into contact with a man could provide a full explanation for whatever had happened to Romulus.
He had just signed off when Jim came storming back in the room.
“You’re a great help, Bones, really.” Jim said sarcastically. “Instead of standing around doing nothing you’re going to sit around nothing. Don’t you care about Spock at all?!”
McCoy glared at Jim furiously.
“Don’t tell me I don’t care about him! You know better. Or was all that sympathy last night just an act?”
Jim’s anger deflated and he sat down on the couch, world-weary and tired. He really was getting too old for this.
“No, Bones, I’m sorry. You know how well I deal with being helpless; and I just never thought we’d have to go through this again.”
McCoy squeezed Jim’s shoulder tightly.
“We don’t know if he’s really gone, Jim, and like I said there are people out there who can help us find out for sure.”
Jim nodded. He knew he shouldn’t be such an ass about all this, he loved McCoy. Jim was grateful beyond measure that McCoy was still here, but he knew that they wouldn’t be truly complete without Spock. Still, if McCoy was comfortable with this then he clearly knew something Jim didn’t.
“You have a plan then?”
“Who always pulls you out when you get into stupid scrapes, Jim?”
“No comments that you’re too old to be doing this anymore?”
“I was too old when we got dragged off to Rura Penthe so to say it now after all these years would be…illogical.”
Jim chuckled.
“Spock has been a terrible influence on you.”
“I know.”
They got off the couch and turned to the window, watching as the tiny blue dot that was Earth grew larger as the ship travelled closer to the planet.
“You know, Bones, it doesn’t look any different than it did when returned from our missions.”
“I know a lot has changed for you, Jim, but not everything has.”
McCoy leaned over and kissed Jim hard, and pressed their foreheads together when he pulled back.
“We’ll get through this together just like always, Jim.”
Once again they were prevented from moving things any further by a buzz from the intercom that told them to meet with Picard in the shuttlebay.
Jim rolled his eyes.
“I take it back, Bones, this is just like being on duty.”
“So you better follow protocol,” McCoy said while straitening the collar of his shirt.
“Meaning what, Bones?”
“Meaning for god sakes, Jim, be pleasant. If Picard thinks you’re delusional from this he’s going to have you monitored, and if that happens we are never going to be able to leave headquarters let alone get out of Earth’s orbit.”
“All right, Bones, all right you know I can always turn on the charm.”
“Of course, you even got me to fold to those charms long ago.”
***
They met with Picard and his officers, and after Commander Riker unabashedly asked Jim for his autograph they escorted Jim and McCoy off the ship and into Spacedock.
“Thank you for everything, Jean-Luc, and I am sorry about my actions earlier.”
“Apology accepted, Jim, I understand you will need time to adjust to our world. I would like to able to help you, but…”
Jim smiled. “I understand duty always comes first.”
“We will be seeing each other again, Jim. We still have to discuss all this with the Federation council and temporal investigations later.”
“I look forward to it.”
They said their goodbyes and McCoy took Jim off to the nearest turbolift and Jim let his smile drop down into a scowl the moment the doors closed.
“Okay, Bones, I was on my best behaviour, what's the next step?”
“We’re going to a meeting. While you’ve been dogging Picard I’ve been getting in contact with some people who want to see you again.”
McCoy took them to large observation lounge in Spacedock. Jim’s eyes went wide looking at the new fleet. It was so big now, and the ships were huge too. He was distracted as they reached the end of the lounge and he saw that a man was waiting for them. Jim sucked in air as he realized he knew the man standing before them. He had tools stuffed in every pocket, faintly smelled of engine grease, and Jim would recognize that moustache anywhere.
“Scotty!”
Scotty rushed over and hugged Jim tightly.
“Jim!”
When he pulled away Jim frowned as he realized why he had been able to recognize Scotty so easily; like McCoy Scotty hadn’t aged.
“Scotty, how?”
Scotty shrugged. “I was on my way to retire on Norpin V and got stuck in a pattern buffer.”
McCoy smiled. “Who do you think got me out of that infernal transporter?”
Jim sighed. “Everything always happens to us, doesn’t it?”
“And I wouldn’t have it any other way.” McCoy answered him.
Scotty suddenly turned away from them, his lip trembling. Jim frowned.
“Scotty, what is it?” he asked.
“I’m sorry, sir. I’m so sorry.”
“For what Scotty?”
“After all our years together I failed you.”
“What are you talking about?”
“When you disappeared…it was my fault. I should have been the one to go down there, it was my idea.”
Jim put his hand on Scotty’s shoulder in comfort.
“Scotty, all decisions were mine. Nobody forced me to go down there and you can’t blame yourself for something that wasn’t your fault.”
“Going down there cost you everything. You’ve lost all this time.”
“I have time now,” he squeezed McCoy’s shoulder, “And thanks to you I still have the people I love to share it with.”
Scotty nodded and wiped his eyes. “Right, I should take you to see the rest of the crew then.”
“They’re here?”
“Aye, we’ve been working on a small…project.”
Scotty took them to the shuttle area and secured a craft to take them out to the ships. As the shuttle moved through Spacedock Jim looked around for whatever it was that Scotty was working on. He didn’t have to wait long, as the circled around a ship that looked like the Excelsior he spotted her. Jim’s mouth fell open as he looked at the ship.
“That’s…”
“The Enterprise, Jim. I’ve been over-hauling an old Constitution Class vessel.”
Jim looked at Scotty. “You named it just the Enterprise?”
“Aye, I re-christened it,” Scotty said. “It doesn’t need any bloody A B C or D.”
Jim looked at her surrounded by the soft lights of Spacedock. The saucer was the right shape. The nacelles sat out at the proper angle. Even the stripe on the side was the right shade of red. She was beautiful.
When they got aboard Jim spent some time just wandering the halls.
“It looks just like her.” He breathed in deeply. “It feels just like her.”
“Aye. The Enterprise A is in the fleet museum and I go there often to make sure she feels right. The Fleet lets me use this section of Spacedock anytime to work on this beautiful lady.”
“Have regulations changed that much?” Jim asked, as they stepped inside a turbolift and headed for the bridge.
“No, but it wasn’t hard to convince the council to let me use the space. They think of it as a tinkering project for an old man and his friends.” Scotty shook his head. “Bunch of pompous children the lot of them.”
They reached the bridge and the doors opened. McCoy put his arm in front of Jim to hold him back.
“You should stay here, Jim.”
“Why?”
“Because well…I haven’t exactly told them about you yet,” Scotty admitted.
“You haven’t what?” Jim whispered.
“Well it’s not the kind of message you just send on the shuttle over!”
“What message, Scotty?”
The voice of Uhura came from the bridge and Scotty and McCoy rushed out of the lift.
“Well it’s not really a message, Nyota, it’s more of…well I we-we brought a guest!”
“A guest?” Sulu asked. “Who cares about this bucket of bolts?”
“An old friend,” McCoy said.
With that small introduction Jim decided it was time to make his appearance and stepped onto the bridge.
“Why it’s-
“Captain Kirk!”
Jim smiled at them, so grateful to see them all alive and well.
“I’m sorry to spring this on all of you like this, but it’s so wonderful to see you all I-“
Jim was cut off as Chekov shot out of his chair with the speed of a man half his age and hugged Jim hard.
“Chekov!”
“It’s you, Captain, it’s really you! I’m sorry so sorry I…”
Jim put his hands on Chekov’s shoulders and looked at him kindly, while doing his best to fight down the shock of seeing Chekov looking so much older than Jim remembered him to be.
“Chekov, I have already gone through this with Scotty. If you blamed yourself for what happened on the Enterprise B you shouldn’t you-“
“I was doing things a trained monkey could do! Any idiot could have run the sickbay. I should have been there. I could have helped you.”
Jim thought back to Guinan. How their paths had crossed then and now and just had to wonder if something had happened to her then, when she was on the Enterprise B, if any of this would have happened now. Jim had to wonder, if her echo in the Nexus hadn’t told Picard about him if he would have just stayed in the Nexus until the universe itself ended.
Jim smiled reassuringly. “You did, Chekov, I can’t explain how, I still not sure I fully understand it myself, but trust me you did.”
Chekov seemed comforted by that and stepped back, letting everyone get a chance for a proper reunion. They slowly settled back into work as Jim wandered around the bridge taking everything in. He stopped where Uhura sat in the chair working on the circuits.
“This is your idea of being retired, Uhura?”
She smiled up at him.
“I need to keep my dexterity up, and it was either this or knitting. And I already have enough cardigans, blankets, and pot holders to open a store.”
Jim nodded and went to stand next to McCoy. He sighed as he stood there just watching his crew, his family.
“You all right, Jim?”
Jim didn’t answer right away. Instead he took McCoy’s hand and squeezed it tightly. After a while he found the words to describe his feelings.
“You know, Bones, there was a time I envied Spock. We were all greying and wrinkled, heading into the twilight years of life, while he still had black hair and at least a century of life to live.”
Even with Scotty and McCoy holding the hands of time steady though a fluke in technology they still had a decade of life on Jim. The reality of the situation, of how Jim was now in Spock’s place, was staring him right in the face. He might outlive everyone in the room.
“I don’t envy him anymore.”
McCoy squeezed Jim’s hand tightly back. “You have to enjoy everything while it lasts, Jim.”
Jim knew he was right. His friends, they were older, slower, but they were still here and Jim would count every blessing.
They stepped apart as Scotty came out from under a panel, wiping his hands and smiling.
“Aye, I think that does it we’re ready for a test run.”
Jim nodded to him. “All right let’s she what’s she’s got.”
Slowly the lights on the consoles lit up and the engines hummed to life.
Jim smiled and his eyes grew bright. “My friends we’ve come home.”
McCoy frowned and ran one hand across the top of the chair of the science station.
“Let’s not forget that there is still one of us left to bring home.”
Jim nodded firmly. “Sulu, are we free to navigate?”
“I may be slower, but I can take her anywhere you want to go. Scotty set up the automation system to practically run itself.”
Scotty, along with the others, turned to Jim and smiled. “We’d be grateful if you gave the word, Captain.”
“But, Scotty, you know the highest ranking officer is to be in command,” Jim said, with a twinkle in his eye as he looked at McCoy.
McCoy smiled and clapped Jim on the shoulder.
“She’s all yours, Jim.”
Jim smiled back and slowly he slid into that centre seat, running his hands down the arms of the chair.
“Take us out.”
Chapter 5
Pairings: Kirk Prime/McCoy Prime/Spock Prime, Kirk/Spock/McCoy, Scotty/Uhura
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: minor character death
Summary: Spock Prime went to save Romulus from a supernova and failed, leaving him in a universe that is similar and still so different from his own. Meanwhile in another part of the galaxy Kirk Prime was freed from the Nexus by Captain Picard and survived. Not believing that Spock Prime is dead Kirk Prime goes in search of him, and travels to the universe created when Nero went through the black hole. In that universe Kirk and Spock are starting on their five year mission, determined to write their own destinies after their encounters with Spock Prime. Unlike them McCoy doesn’t trust destiny as far as he can throw it, and he has his own problems to deal with, like getting custody of the three year old daughter he didn’t know he had.
Que Sera Sera
McCoy woke up alone. He opened his eyes to see an empty bed, the blanket and sheets beside him neatly pulled in around the mattress. For one terrifying moment he was certain that the events of the last few days were just some desperate fantasy dreamed up by a senile old man, until he heard the sound of someone moving around in the other room.
He got up and found Jim on the couch staring at the computer.
“Don’t you ever take a break?” he asked.
“Just trying to catch up on everything I’ve missed,” Jim said. “You’ve told me a lot, but political issues and Starfleet protocol don’t make good bedroom talk.”
“I’ll agree with that,” McCoy answered, kissing Jim on the cheek and then going to the replicator to track down some coffee for them.
When McCoy returned he set two mugs down on the table and sat down beside Jim. Then he sipped his drink in silence as he watched Jim work.
As McCoy just continued to sit there Jim looked at him, slightly miffed that McCoy felt the need to supervise him.
“You don’t have to babysit me, Bones, I do remember how these things work.”
“I know, Jim, I just…need this.”
Jim’s annoyance disappeared at those words and all at once he was struck by how difficult all of this had to be for McCoy. For Jim it felt like he had left the universe only yesterday, even though everything liked to remind him about how much time had really passed. McCoy on the other hand had lived every one of those nearly eighty years with the certainty that he would never be able to just sit in Jim’s company again. Jim could put up with him being clingy.
“Of course, Bones, and you know I think I can find something better for us to do together,” Jim said, pushing the computer aside.
“Oh you can, can you?” McCoy asked, as Jim leaned in and started kissing the side of his neck.
“Yes, we are guests on this ship after all and I think we should take advantage of the quarters provided to us.”
Jim shifted them until McCoy was flat on the couch and Jim was resting gently on top of him.
“I like this ship, Bones, the rooms are so big now. No need to worry about curious ensigns listening at the doors. We aren’t on duty so there won’t be anything to interrupt us.”
McCoy’s arms came around to grip Jim’s shoulders and he kissed him deeply, they rolled over…
And both of them were suddenly on the floor.
“And I hate that they haven’t made the couches any bigger,” Jim grumbled.
Slowly they got themselves back on the couch in one piece.
“Now where we?” Jim asked with a grin.
“Before or after you tried to break my hip?”
Before they could continue though there was a buzz at the door.
Jim sighed and shifted away from McCoy.
“So much for not being disturbed,” McCoy groused, while Jim acknowledged their visitor.
“Come in,” he called.
Picard came in. In an instant Jim was off the couch and striding towards him, McCoy close behind Jim.
“Jean-Luc, has there been any news?” Jim asked desperately.
Picard looked at both men gravely.
“Yes…I, Jim, Admiral McCoy, Romulus is gone.”
Picard might as well have spoken in Klingon, because Jim couldn’t bring himself to comprehend what he had just heard.
“Gone? What do you mean gone?”
“Our scans of the area report that there is no planet in Romulus’ position anymore.”
Jim just continued to stare at Picard.
“How does an entire planet just disappear?” he asked.
“According to our readings the planet was a casualty of a supernova.”
“Then there could be survivors. Supernovas don’t just come out of nowhere. They would have had warning. They would have evacuated…we have to look for him. We can’t just leave Spock there!”
“Jim, there is nothing there, there is nothing more we can do.”
“That was the same assumption everyone made when I was caught by the Nexus, and I’m still here!”
“Jim, even if there were anything there we cannot cross the neutral zone. You have been away from Starfleet for a long time, and you should know that the Federation no longer engages in…cowboy diplomacy.”
“What diplomacy?! There’s no Romulan Empire to engage in relations with!”
“But there is, Jim. They hold territory beyond their home-world and the loss of that world doesn’t change their borders. Any attempt on the part of the Federation to enter their space will be seen as an attack and dealt with accordingly. I’m sorry.”
“Could you give us a shuttle then? We will take all responsibilities for our own actions. There will be no consequences to Starfleet or the Federation.”
Picard sighed and shook his head. “I’m sorry, I can’t do that. We are returning to Earth now so I can give all these news to the Federation in person and receive further instructions. You can establish yourself in San Francisco while we wait for the investigations to be completed. You may contact Starfleet when we have more information. That is the best we can do right now.”
Picard left the room after that, and McCoy kept a strong grip on Jim’s arm to stop him from going after the other captain and getting himself thrown in the brig.
“Bones, we can’t just stand by and do nothing.”
“I know, Jim, I want Spock back too, and I think I know some people who can help us search for him.”
***
With that conversation between Jim and Picard the trip back to Earth was frosty to say the least. Picard ran the ship and avoided Jim as best as he could, mostly by staying on the bridge and pestering the communications officer for news about the improving health of his family. Not that Jim was deterred as he worked to catch Picard in the halls, ignoring the curious stares he would get from crewmembers who knew their Starfleet history.
Meanwhile McCoy went to work on the computer Jim had abandoned. Using his clearance as an admiral he got in touch with a friend back home. McCoy knew he would help them and that he had a ship they could use. Then he got into contact with a man could provide a full explanation for whatever had happened to Romulus.
He had just signed off when Jim came storming back in the room.
“You’re a great help, Bones, really.” Jim said sarcastically. “Instead of standing around doing nothing you’re going to sit around nothing. Don’t you care about Spock at all?!”
McCoy glared at Jim furiously.
“Don’t tell me I don’t care about him! You know better. Or was all that sympathy last night just an act?”
Jim’s anger deflated and he sat down on the couch, world-weary and tired. He really was getting too old for this.
“No, Bones, I’m sorry. You know how well I deal with being helpless; and I just never thought we’d have to go through this again.”
McCoy squeezed Jim’s shoulder tightly.
“We don’t know if he’s really gone, Jim, and like I said there are people out there who can help us find out for sure.”
Jim nodded. He knew he shouldn’t be such an ass about all this, he loved McCoy. Jim was grateful beyond measure that McCoy was still here, but he knew that they wouldn’t be truly complete without Spock. Still, if McCoy was comfortable with this then he clearly knew something Jim didn’t.
“You have a plan then?”
“Who always pulls you out when you get into stupid scrapes, Jim?”
“No comments that you’re too old to be doing this anymore?”
“I was too old when we got dragged off to Rura Penthe so to say it now after all these years would be…illogical.”
Jim chuckled.
“Spock has been a terrible influence on you.”
“I know.”
They got off the couch and turned to the window, watching as the tiny blue dot that was Earth grew larger as the ship travelled closer to the planet.
“You know, Bones, it doesn’t look any different than it did when returned from our missions.”
“I know a lot has changed for you, Jim, but not everything has.”
McCoy leaned over and kissed Jim hard, and pressed their foreheads together when he pulled back.
“We’ll get through this together just like always, Jim.”
Once again they were prevented from moving things any further by a buzz from the intercom that told them to meet with Picard in the shuttlebay.
Jim rolled his eyes.
“I take it back, Bones, this is just like being on duty.”
“So you better follow protocol,” McCoy said while straitening the collar of his shirt.
“Meaning what, Bones?”
“Meaning for god sakes, Jim, be pleasant. If Picard thinks you’re delusional from this he’s going to have you monitored, and if that happens we are never going to be able to leave headquarters let alone get out of Earth’s orbit.”
“All right, Bones, all right you know I can always turn on the charm.”
“Of course, you even got me to fold to those charms long ago.”
***
They met with Picard and his officers, and after Commander Riker unabashedly asked Jim for his autograph they escorted Jim and McCoy off the ship and into Spacedock.
“Thank you for everything, Jean-Luc, and I am sorry about my actions earlier.”
“Apology accepted, Jim, I understand you will need time to adjust to our world. I would like to able to help you, but…”
Jim smiled. “I understand duty always comes first.”
“We will be seeing each other again, Jim. We still have to discuss all this with the Federation council and temporal investigations later.”
“I look forward to it.”
They said their goodbyes and McCoy took Jim off to the nearest turbolift and Jim let his smile drop down into a scowl the moment the doors closed.
“Okay, Bones, I was on my best behaviour, what's the next step?”
“We’re going to a meeting. While you’ve been dogging Picard I’ve been getting in contact with some people who want to see you again.”
McCoy took them to large observation lounge in Spacedock. Jim’s eyes went wide looking at the new fleet. It was so big now, and the ships were huge too. He was distracted as they reached the end of the lounge and he saw that a man was waiting for them. Jim sucked in air as he realized he knew the man standing before them. He had tools stuffed in every pocket, faintly smelled of engine grease, and Jim would recognize that moustache anywhere.
“Scotty!”
Scotty rushed over and hugged Jim tightly.
“Jim!”
When he pulled away Jim frowned as he realized why he had been able to recognize Scotty so easily; like McCoy Scotty hadn’t aged.
“Scotty, how?”
Scotty shrugged. “I was on my way to retire on Norpin V and got stuck in a pattern buffer.”
McCoy smiled. “Who do you think got me out of that infernal transporter?”
Jim sighed. “Everything always happens to us, doesn’t it?”
“And I wouldn’t have it any other way.” McCoy answered him.
Scotty suddenly turned away from them, his lip trembling. Jim frowned.
“Scotty, what is it?” he asked.
“I’m sorry, sir. I’m so sorry.”
“For what Scotty?”
“After all our years together I failed you.”
“What are you talking about?”
“When you disappeared…it was my fault. I should have been the one to go down there, it was my idea.”
Jim put his hand on Scotty’s shoulder in comfort.
“Scotty, all decisions were mine. Nobody forced me to go down there and you can’t blame yourself for something that wasn’t your fault.”
“Going down there cost you everything. You’ve lost all this time.”
“I have time now,” he squeezed McCoy’s shoulder, “And thanks to you I still have the people I love to share it with.”
Scotty nodded and wiped his eyes. “Right, I should take you to see the rest of the crew then.”
“They’re here?”
“Aye, we’ve been working on a small…project.”
Scotty took them to the shuttle area and secured a craft to take them out to the ships. As the shuttle moved through Spacedock Jim looked around for whatever it was that Scotty was working on. He didn’t have to wait long, as the circled around a ship that looked like the Excelsior he spotted her. Jim’s mouth fell open as he looked at the ship.
“That’s…”
“The Enterprise, Jim. I’ve been over-hauling an old Constitution Class vessel.”
Jim looked at Scotty. “You named it just the Enterprise?”
“Aye, I re-christened it,” Scotty said. “It doesn’t need any bloody A B C or D.”
Jim looked at her surrounded by the soft lights of Spacedock. The saucer was the right shape. The nacelles sat out at the proper angle. Even the stripe on the side was the right shade of red. She was beautiful.
When they got aboard Jim spent some time just wandering the halls.
“It looks just like her.” He breathed in deeply. “It feels just like her.”
“Aye. The Enterprise A is in the fleet museum and I go there often to make sure she feels right. The Fleet lets me use this section of Spacedock anytime to work on this beautiful lady.”
“Have regulations changed that much?” Jim asked, as they stepped inside a turbolift and headed for the bridge.
“No, but it wasn’t hard to convince the council to let me use the space. They think of it as a tinkering project for an old man and his friends.” Scotty shook his head. “Bunch of pompous children the lot of them.”
They reached the bridge and the doors opened. McCoy put his arm in front of Jim to hold him back.
“You should stay here, Jim.”
“Why?”
“Because well…I haven’t exactly told them about you yet,” Scotty admitted.
“You haven’t what?” Jim whispered.
“Well it’s not the kind of message you just send on the shuttle over!”
“What message, Scotty?”
The voice of Uhura came from the bridge and Scotty and McCoy rushed out of the lift.
“Well it’s not really a message, Nyota, it’s more of…well I we-we brought a guest!”
“A guest?” Sulu asked. “Who cares about this bucket of bolts?”
“An old friend,” McCoy said.
With that small introduction Jim decided it was time to make his appearance and stepped onto the bridge.
“Why it’s-
“Captain Kirk!”
Jim smiled at them, so grateful to see them all alive and well.
“I’m sorry to spring this on all of you like this, but it’s so wonderful to see you all I-“
Jim was cut off as Chekov shot out of his chair with the speed of a man half his age and hugged Jim hard.
“Chekov!”
“It’s you, Captain, it’s really you! I’m sorry so sorry I…”
Jim put his hands on Chekov’s shoulders and looked at him kindly, while doing his best to fight down the shock of seeing Chekov looking so much older than Jim remembered him to be.
“Chekov, I have already gone through this with Scotty. If you blamed yourself for what happened on the Enterprise B you shouldn’t you-“
“I was doing things a trained monkey could do! Any idiot could have run the sickbay. I should have been there. I could have helped you.”
Jim thought back to Guinan. How their paths had crossed then and now and just had to wonder if something had happened to her then, when she was on the Enterprise B, if any of this would have happened now. Jim had to wonder, if her echo in the Nexus hadn’t told Picard about him if he would have just stayed in the Nexus until the universe itself ended.
Jim smiled reassuringly. “You did, Chekov, I can’t explain how, I still not sure I fully understand it myself, but trust me you did.”
Chekov seemed comforted by that and stepped back, letting everyone get a chance for a proper reunion. They slowly settled back into work as Jim wandered around the bridge taking everything in. He stopped where Uhura sat in the chair working on the circuits.
“This is your idea of being retired, Uhura?”
She smiled up at him.
“I need to keep my dexterity up, and it was either this or knitting. And I already have enough cardigans, blankets, and pot holders to open a store.”
Jim nodded and went to stand next to McCoy. He sighed as he stood there just watching his crew, his family.
“You all right, Jim?”
Jim didn’t answer right away. Instead he took McCoy’s hand and squeezed it tightly. After a while he found the words to describe his feelings.
“You know, Bones, there was a time I envied Spock. We were all greying and wrinkled, heading into the twilight years of life, while he still had black hair and at least a century of life to live.”
Even with Scotty and McCoy holding the hands of time steady though a fluke in technology they still had a decade of life on Jim. The reality of the situation, of how Jim was now in Spock’s place, was staring him right in the face. He might outlive everyone in the room.
“I don’t envy him anymore.”
McCoy squeezed Jim’s hand tightly back. “You have to enjoy everything while it lasts, Jim.”
Jim knew he was right. His friends, they were older, slower, but they were still here and Jim would count every blessing.
They stepped apart as Scotty came out from under a panel, wiping his hands and smiling.
“Aye, I think that does it we’re ready for a test run.”
Jim nodded to him. “All right let’s she what’s she’s got.”
Slowly the lights on the consoles lit up and the engines hummed to life.
Jim smiled and his eyes grew bright. “My friends we’ve come home.”
McCoy frowned and ran one hand across the top of the chair of the science station.
“Let’s not forget that there is still one of us left to bring home.”
Jim nodded firmly. “Sulu, are we free to navigate?”
“I may be slower, but I can take her anywhere you want to go. Scotty set up the automation system to practically run itself.”
Scotty, along with the others, turned to Jim and smiled. “We’d be grateful if you gave the word, Captain.”
“But, Scotty, you know the highest ranking officer is to be in command,” Jim said, with a twinkle in his eye as he looked at McCoy.
McCoy smiled and clapped Jim on the shoulder.
“She’s all yours, Jim.”
Jim smiled back and slowly he slid into that centre seat, running his hands down the arms of the chair.
“Take us out.”
Chapter 5