Chapter 19

"As it stands," Spock began his address to the bridge, "We have not yet received any orders from Starfleet advising us about how to respond to the events that have unfolded. This suggests that our transmissions are still being blocked."

Kez agreed, looking up at Kirk who seemed to be thinking while watching Spock's address.

"We'll just have to assume that every federation planet is a target. I mean, we have no way of knowing exactly what is motivating Nero." Kirk offered out of turn.

"He has a point. What even possessed him to waste weapons like that? We weren't even a threat – there was no need to insist of destroying us unless he had a greater goal in mind." Kez mused, scratching at the bandage round her wrist mindlessly.

"Personally I'd keep firing at a ship that was on the side of the enemy until it was completely disabled. He wasn't to know we were no longer a threat." Kirk whispered to her. She stomped on his foot.

"That isn't it; he said he wanted me to see something. The destruction of my home world." Spock continued, thankfully not responding to Kirk's pervious comment. "However we may assume that destruction of other planets, such as Earth are high on their agenda."

"How did they even do that, by the way?" Bones said, unable to contain himself and just speaking freely. The regulations, from what he could see, had gone out the window when the first weapons had been fired.

"Don't get me wrong, in my line of work I don't need to know the details of weapon technology developments, but I do have some knowledge of the damage they were able to inflict on us. I've certainly never come across a Romulan vessel that size with the destructive capabilities the Narada just displayed!"

Spock turned to Kez, "And your view, Lieutenant?"

"Excuse me?" Kez snapped back to reality, "My view?"

"Indeed, of the Narada. You are a weapons specialist after all" Spock said clearly until Kez registered what was being asked of her.

She cleared her throat and thought it best to speak her mind, "In all truthfulness, Captain, that ship is impossible! The physical technology is too advanced even for an Alien race! I've never seen anything like it before; not in any records or manuals. Not even in vessel plans scheduled to be commissioned in two years' time. They just artificially generated a black hole! That kind of technology can't be fashioned overnight – the engineering alone would take several years and not to mention the . . ." Kez drifted off as a thought landed square in her mind, "It could be possible in the future though."

"What?" Kirk stepped away from her and pulled a face that displayed several emotions at one.

"Such technology could be possible in the future, as Lieutenant Stibbon's is suggesting. Such technology could also be manipulated for other purposes such as, hypothetically, creating a tunnel through space-time. Of course, such conjecture is based on models that reply on current physical and mathematical knowledge."

Kez's mouth had dropped open and she couldn't collect her thoughts into sentences.

"Dammit man – I'm a Doctor, not a physicist," Bones spat, "Are you suggesting they're from the future?"

"If you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains – however improbably – must be the truth." Spock seemed to shrug before looking at Kez, "Take Kez for example. A species that can exist across multiple timelines simultaneously but only lives those lives when one ends – that is, in some eyes, like magic, but it is possible. So although not yet mathematically proven, I am saying it is possible they are from the future, where these advances in technology are possible."

The bridge was silent until Kez cleared her throat, "Well, apart from the part where you compared me to a destructive alien warship from the future – which was quite offensive – I guess what you're saying makes sense."

"Hang on!" Kirk spoke up, annoyed by all this and wanting to focus on more prying matters, "If their technology is so advanced, then what does an angry Romulan from the future want with Captain Pike?"

Sulu turned in his chair and raised his hand even though he spoke anyway, "Captain Pike knows as much as any admiral about Starfleet's defences. If their next target is Earth and they felt certain of being able to penetrate its defences, why else would they want him except to extort information?"

This seemed to be all Kirk needed to hear, "We have to get him off that ship!" he declared firmly.

"That's not an option." Spock turned immediately, "He left us with orders to return to Earth which is what we shall do. We'll discuss this matter with the rest of the fleet on the other side of the quadrant and agree on an appropriate course of action from then onwards. A rescue attempt would be highly illogical."

Kez could feel Kirk heating up and fighting to cool down, "With all due respect, what about loyalty to one's commanding officer?" He said sharply.

Spock still wouldn't reason with him, "The Captain's committed our loyalty to his sacrifice. He would be the first to repeat and emphasize that we carry out his final order."

"Well I'm suggesting that we find a way to catch up to them and get on that ship!" Kirk moved to get closer to Spock since the whole bridge was watching this debate which was heating up quickly.

"Kirk – I don't think we can catch up to the ship." Kez mumbled to the ground but still loud enough to be heard.

"Well there's got to be some way!" Kirk yelled over, "Spock, by the time the fleet is redeployed, it'll be too late! You want to be logical? Well that's exactly how Nero wants you to act! So let's be illogical – unpredictable!"

"You're assuming Nero knows how these events will play out. His presence here alters the whole timeline – all our lives are now being played out on a whole new course. These actions of hostility he had committed have created a new chain of events that cannot be anticipated by either party."

"An alternate reality." Uhura redefined for everyone's benefit.

Bones looked at Kez who rolled her eyes, "I'm not going to drop dead."

"However I am still committed to carry out Captain Pike's last command." Spock declared over the mindless conversation that was about to take place.

"I disagree, because-," Kirk began, forgetting formalities in the heat of the moment.

"Captain!" Spock corrected him, "Your opinion is noted Mr Kirk but my order stands."

They locked gazes and Kirk felt the sudden impulse to punch Spock.

"We don't have time to discuss this guys!" Kez interrupted, boarding the informality train and completely speaking out of turn.

"Then we are in agreement, Miss Stibbons. I am instructing you to accept my decision, Mr Kirk. I'll hear no more arguments on the matter.  

Kirk pulled one last trick, "Well neither me nor the ships only Weapons Specialist and Chief medical officer agree with you."

Kez sighed and slapped her forehead as Bones groaned, "Oh crap – Jim don't do that!"

"What you are proposing is mutiny. Your actions will have consequences." Spock was growing tired of Kirk and his not being able to cooperate.

"Jim, listen to him! He's the Captain!" Bones warned, trying to save Kirk from his own stupidity.

"Get him off the bridge!" Spock shouted over the commotion that had suddenly started. Kirk shouting, Kez trying to be reasonable and Bones juggling the responsibilities of a best friend and his job.

Two men stepped forwards and began to pull Kirk away.

He shrugged it off before whirling. He spun and slammed his fist against the guys chest, moved to tackle the other man and began to lunge in the opposite direction.

Kez ported to the middle of the fight but Spock was already there. Kirk was unconscious on the floor – a fallen victim to the nerve pinch Spock had delivered.

"Get him off my ship!" He commanded as two more men in uniform began to seize Kirk and drag him away.

"Wait, what?" Kez watched then began to make a move toward the door but Spock stopped her, grabbing her wrist tightly and holding her in place.

"Don't make me have to deal with you in the same way." He whispered to her with a warning gaze.

She frowned at him as if he was a monster that she'd just encountered and he felt something inside him burn. But it was easy to contain true feelings after all his years of practise.

"You wouldn't dare." She growled, holding her hand over his and digging her nails into the flesh. He wouldn't let go though.

"Kez! Calm down, please." Uhura yelled, making a move to be with her friend in the hope it would stop her doing anything stupid.

There was a groan from somewhere on the ship and then a light flashed across the space in front of the ship. Kez knew a pod when she saw one and she knew exactly what was inside.

"You . . . you Bastard!" She yelled, her skin flickering manically as she tried to port but Spock was holding her too tightly. Tears ran down her face again.

"Kez we are travelling too fast! What are you expecting to do! Don't be illogical and rational because of your feelings!" Spock warned his friend, fearing what she was going to do.

She lunged her free hand out which momentarily distracted Spock and enabled her to pull free and move away.

"My feelings! What the hell do you know about feelings, Spock!? I thought you were my friend!" She yelled, pulling at her hair, confused and only able to think about Kirk.

"You'll be ripped apart if you port off this ship. Kez! Listen to me! You'll die!" Uhura made a move to detain her friend, getting within reaching distance before Spock grabbed her.

Kirk.

Kirk.

Kez shook her head, fixing his face in her mind, clear and precise before she made her choice.

She disappeared from the bridge.