Existence - The Preserver Saga, Part One

[thew40]

Hello everyone! Just a few things, as this is my first fanfiction post here. I've been writing fanfiction for years, but this is only my second Star Trek fanfic -- and that previous one was written back in 2002/2003. I gotta be honest, I'm a little intimidated since it's, well, Star Trek. So please have mercy!

This fanfic is the first of three (or four) parts. It deals with a lot of Trek episodes, but if I mention them, there will be spoilers. It takes place very shortly after "Turnabout Intruder." Furthermore, it takes place in the "Prime Reality," though there are some familair faces.

Disclaimer: Star Trek is the property of Paramount/CBS. This story was written for non-profit and for entertainment purposes only.

STAR TREK
"EXISTENCE"
The Preserver Saga - Part One

NEW ORDERS

James T. Kirk rose from the captain’s chair, his back aching, his neck stiff, and in need of either of hard drink or a soft bed. He walked slowly to the turbolift, only to be stopped by what he knew to be the hard stare of Mr. Spock. He glanced to his science officer, who perked an eyebrow at his exiting Captain.


“Yes, Mr. Spock? Is there a problem?”


Spock rose completely from his chair, his hands neatly folded together at the small of his back. “Of course not, Captain. I was merely expecting you to finish out the rest of your shift on the bridge.”


Kirk took a deep breath and maintained his stance despite the occasional look from nearby bridge crew. He wasn’t a fan of being questioned on the bridge. Spock’s inquiry was, of course, logical. It wasn’t often Kirk would leave the bridge with his shift incomplete.


“Do you really think you’ll need me on the bridge for the next half an hour, Spock? The crew is at peak performance. The ship is running just fine. And that chair is awfully comfortable. Have a seat.”


Spock perked an eyebrow at his commanding officer. “My apologies, Captain. I will see you tomorrow.”


Kirk forced a smile at the Vulcan, then left the bridge.


As the turbolift shot down into the heart of the Enterprise, Jim Kirk could think of only one name. Janice Lester. The woman felt so little herself as a woman that she switched bodies with Jim just to take command of the Enterprise. Jim didn’t understand it; in her body, he felt no weakness, no flaw that he didn’t feel as a man. But it was a little disturbing – and he couldn’t help but think of all those women he had encountered in his travels. They had all been strong women, not allowing their insecurities as a woman hold them back.


The doors to the turbolift slid open and Jim strode out, walking passed crewmembers before finally reaching his quarters. He was struck with an odd sense of loneliness that only came once in a great while. It was normally at down times like this, when his ship and his crew didn’t need him as much.


Out of all those women, he thought of the four that so deeply affected him. Ruth, Carol Marcus, Edith Keller, and Miramanee. With these women, he had found insight and strength and comfort. But he had lost them all – Edith and Miramanee to tragic ends.


Pushing all of this away, Jim sat down at his desk and was about to go over some personnel reports when Spock’s voice echoed into his quarters.


“Captain Kirk, please report to the bridge.”


“Damn it, Spock,” Kirk grunted, rising from his chair.



Moments later, he returned to the bridge. Doctor McCoy was present now, leaning against the railing behind Spock, who was busy at the science station. Uhura stood up when she spotted the Captain.


“We received a communiqué from Starfleet, Captain,” she explained. “New orders. We are to halt our present course and await further instructions.”


Kirk looked to Spock and McCoy. “What kind of instructions?”


“In-coming vessel, Captain,” Spock reported. “It is Starfleet.”


At that moment, Uhura leaned over her controls and pressed a few keys. Pushing the earpiece a little further in, she turned to the Captain. “In-coming transmission, Captain. It’s the USS Kelvin.”


Kirk and McCoy exchanged a look.


“The Kelvin?” questioned the doctor. “I thought it was decommissioned years ago.”


“Quite the contrary, Doctor,” Spock responded. “The Kelvin was once considered the most advanced vessel in the fleet. From what I understand, Commodore Robau has made it his highest priority to keep the ship on active duty.”


Kirk stepped away from the pair and sat down. “Lieutenant?”


Uhura pressed a couple of keys and the view screen changed. He instantly saw the interior of the Kelvin bridge and Commodore Robau in the Captain’s chair. Kirk had met Robau on several occasions and had come to understand Robau’s devotion to the old science vessel. Upon his promotion, he had seen to it that the ship was kept up to code to remain in the fleet.


“Commodore Robau, good to see you again,” Kirk greeted with a smile.


“The same. We have new orders for you, Captain. Permission to come aboard?”


“Of course.”


“Thank you.”


The screen clicked off. Kirk rose from the command chair, and nodded to Spock and McCoy to follow. They entered the turbolift together.


“Didn’t your parents meet on the Kelvin?” McCoy asked.


Kirk nodded. “Met and married. I was almost born there.”


“Curious that Starfleet would send the Kelvin, Captain,” Spock said. “Despite the Commodore’s affection for the ship, it is only barely up to today’s standards. In its prime, the Kelvin’s sensor capability was far more advanced than any other vessel – but at the risk of its tactical ability. A more current science vessel would be the more logical choice.”


“Did it ever cross your mind that maybe we don’t need a new science vessel with us?” McCoy questioned.


“Of course, Doctor, but I was saving that speculation for when we knew more about the mission ahead.”


“And I should point out, Mr. Spock, that the Enterprise itself is only a little over a thirteen years younger than the Kelvin,” Kirk stated. “You should know. You’ve been here long enough.”


“Indeed and I have marked the advancements since even this ship was commissioned. And to be honest, the Enterprise is a little behind the times as well.”


“That’s enough, Mr. Spock,” Kirk cut in.


They arrived at the transporter room. Mr. Kyle glanced up from the controls and acknowledged the trio with a nod.


“Robau’s party is ready, Captain,” he reported.


“Party?” asked McCoy.


“Energize,” Kirk ordered.


On the transporter pads before them, four figures materialized. One was Commodore Robau. Another was a young blonde-haired woman in a blue science uniform. The other two were Winona and George Kirk.
​

 

[kes7]

Robau in Prime Universe? I like it. I look forward to reading more.

 

[thew40]

THE ROMULAN-KLINGON ALLIANCE

Commander Avar had seen more than her fair share of Klingons in her day, but the pair sitting across from her was a first. One looked quite like the Klingons she was used to dealing with – darker, higher foreheads, and bearded – but very human-like in appearance. The other was something different – bigger and with the ridges that started at the nose and ended high up into the forehead. She would later learn that Klingons had looked this way up until the early 2150s, when something happened that changed their appearance. Whatever had happened was now being fixed, it appeared.


“A gift from the Romulan Senate,” said Avar, pushing the Romulan PADD across the desk. “Three cloaking devices.”


The ridge-less Klingon, Captain K’vork, placed his own PADD on the desk and leaned back, interlocking his fingers. “A gift from the Klingon High Council. Four disruptor banks.”


Avar looked to her Sub-Commander, Hitorah. “We’ll let our first officers take care of the exchange.”


K’vork grinned, his teeth sharp. Hitorah and the Klingon first officer Drang stepped out of the room, holding the PADDs that had been on the desk. Avar stood up and walked over to a nearby table, where she produced a bottle of Romulan Ale.


“A drink, Captain?”


K’vork paused. She wasn’t surprised. Despite the alliance, it had been negotiated at the highest levels of power – the Klingon Chancellor and the Romulan Praetor. Those on the frontlines, like Avar and K’vork, were left feeling uncertain about it and overall distrustful of the other.


K’vork reached for his glass and sipped it. He swished it in his mouth before swallowing.


“A fair drink,” K’vork stated.


“The bottle is yours, K’vork,” Avar offered.


“Another gift from the Romulan Senate?”


Avar shook her head. “From one warrior to another.”


K’vork held back a sneer. He took another drink, this one larger than the previous, and smiled. It really wasn’t that bad. He pressed his communicator and barked something into it. Avar tensed, ready to reach for her disruptor at a moments notice.


A barrel with Klingon markings appeared in the center of the room. K’vork laughed loudly and marched over to it.


“What is that?” demanded Avar.


“Easy, Commander,” K’vork replied, opening the top of the barrel. “Klingon blood wine! From my own personal stock!”


Avar maintained her composure as she caught a whiff of it. The smell was foul, but she didn’t let that show. For the good of the Romulan Star Empire, she accepted a mug of crimson liquid and gulped it. It tasted as bad as it smelled, but she took it down smoothly, not once showing her disgust.


While she did, K’vork finished his glass of Romulan Ale.


At that moment, Hitorah re-entered the room. “My apologies, Captain, Commander. Our sensors have indicated two Federation starships on a course that nears our position.”


“Honorless cowards!”


“Self-righteous fools!”


Avar and K’vork looked at the other and then both smiled.


“We should plot an intercept course,” K’vork declared, then smiled that shark-toothed smile. “And destroy them!”


“Don’t your people have a treaty with them?”


K’vork’s smile grew even wider. “Yes, well, it looks like they’re interrupting negotiations between our people. Their very presence is disruptive. Aggression is allowed under those circumstances, according to the Treaty of Organia.”


Avar nodded. “Oh most assuredly. I believe aggression is the best action right now.”


At this point, Drang reappeared and stood by his Captain’s side. “Then let us enter into battle together!”

More to come . . .

 

[thew40]

CONFERENCE

Bones observed the way Jim acted around his parents – his father in particular. His back straightened, his jaw clenched, and made himself look as much as a Starfleet officer as possible. It was almost surprising that Jim didn’t go running off to his quarters to get his dress uniform. But despite this formal way of presenting himself, Jim and George Kirk embraced openly as father and son.


Spock stood silently and stoic and Bones wondered in the science officer was making comparisons to his relationship with his own father. Bones, of course, was doing everything possible but to not think of his own father. It always brought up painful memories.


After the meet and greet was over and done with, Robau asked Kirk to change course. Kirk gave the order, then (as per Robau’s orders) called the senior staff to a meeting in the conference room. Kirk, George, and Robau led the pack, chatting about people they knew and places they’d been to.


Winona lingered in the back, her wavy blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail. She walked alongside Doctor McCoy.


“I was hoping to meet with you in private after the conference, Doctor,” she addressed.


“Oh? Is everything alright?” he asked.


“It’s a personal matter, Doctor.”


“I understand. Just come on down to sickbay when you get a chance.”


By this point, they had reached the conference room and the rest of the senior staff had joined them: Scotty, Uhura, Sulu, and Chekov.


“I’d like to introduce my parents, Commander George Kirk and Lieutenant Winona Kirk,” the captain said, showing them off. “Though last I checked they had retired . . .”


“It’s only a temporary reactivation, Jim,” George stated, sitting down next to his wife. “We’ll be back in Iowa in a week or two.”


Winona smiled.


“And you all know Commodore Robau,” Kirk continued. “And this is . . .”


“Doctor Emily Farrah,” the blue uniformed science officer broke in.


“Doctor Farrah is a specialist. We’ll be needing her on this mission,” Robau explained.


“And just what is this mission?” asked Sulu, taking the initiative.


Robau pulled out a data tape and slipped it into place on the table. The viewers came to life. Robau leaned back in his chair and began to speak.


“Not long before your Captain was born, the Kelvin was on a deep space mission. We were in the Garto’Rus system, which is located near Klingon and Romulan space . . .”


----


I'll post the rest tomorrow morning. FLASHBACK!

 

[fleetcaptain]

Quite interesting so far. Glad to see the Kelvin is in play here. Should be an interesting storyline to follow whats already posted.

 

[thew40]

Thanks the comments! Speaking of the Kelvin . . .

------

USS KELVIN: 2233

George walked down the crowded corridor, Winona waddling next to him. Despite George being her superior officer, they walked in hand in hand. Winona had one hand on her belly, feeling their baby boy kicking up a storm.


“So what exactly are we doing in this sector? I thought we were supposed to meet with the USS Houston?” Winona asked.


“They were delayed and we detected the gravimetric distortions. Captain Robau thought it best to check it out while we had the chance.”


“George . . .” Winona paused and leaned against the wall. “I know this is important, but I don’t want to have another child in space. You know that. We need to get back to Earth. We both agreed. One year in space. That’s one year without Sam. I don’t want another.”


“It’ll only be a day. Maybe two at the most. I promise you. We’ll chase after Houston in a shuttlecraft if we have to.”


Winona looked doubtful, but George had said all that he could. He wasn’t exactly happy with missing his son either, but Starfleet offered one year in space for two years being Earthbound – plus a promotion to Commander for George.


“OH!” Winona suddenly cried, hands falling from his.


“What is it? Is it time?” George asked, eyes going wide.


“No, no. The baby just nailed one of my lungs. Kid’s going to have some great fighting skills.” She forced a smile. “Plus, the doctor has me on enough medication to keep me pregnant for a full year.”


“I hope we don’t have to wait that long.” George smiled a little. “I’ll see you after my shift.”


“Love you,” she replied and kissed him on the cheek.

George arrived on the bridge moments later and found it a bustle of activity. The Kelvin had just dropped out of warp and George walked up next to the command chair, where Robau was staring at the sight before them. Garto’Rus contained a massive Red Giant star in its heart. Two planets were in its inner orbit, the innermost being Class-N and Class-Y. A huge ring of asteroids were next, and beyond that were three Class-Js and a Class-D.


“Gravimetric distortions are coming from the asteroid belt, Captain,” reported the Andorian science officer, Malaan.


Robau leaned forward in his chair and steepled his fingers. “Steady as she goes, Mister Johnson,” Robau ordered.


Ensign Johnson was joined by Commander Kirk at navigation. Together, the pair plotted a course into the asteroid belt. Between the bumbling asteroids and the gravimetric distortions, the ship was surprisingly hard to steer. Kirk thought it akin to old stories about sea ships sailing through hurricanes.


Robau contacted Engineering, but also addressed his tactical officer. “Mister Pitts, Mister K’Bentayr, I want shields at maximum and weapons at the ready just in case we need to knock one of these asteroids out of our way.”


“Captain, I’m detecting an energy signature from one of the asteroids. It seems be the origin of the gravimetric distortions,” Malaan reported.


“Mister Kirk.”


“On it, sir.”


The Kelvin’s nacelle burst to life, pushing the science vessel around a large asteroid and over to another. This one sat in place.


Malaan’s antenna twitched. “Sensors are detecting some kind of machinery on surface.”


“Anything we recognize?”


“No, but it appears to be rather old. I’ve never seen anything like it before.”


“Find a match in the database.”


“Working . . . Captain Robau, we are being scanned!”


“Easy, Lieutenant,” Robau said. “Magnify the machinery.”


The machinery appeared on screen. Six small panel covered domes sat around a tower of steel. Lights ran along the tower, each one getting brighter by the second.


“Captain, reading an energy building in the machine,” reported the secondary science officer, a Deltan named Chus.


At that moment, the gravimetric distortion pulled together into a splash of light and energy. An aperture appeared next to the asteroid, massive and swirling like a multi-colored typhoon. Lightning-like energy shot between the asteroid and the aperture, as though the asteroid was powering it.


“What is that?” asked Kirk.


“A wormhole, I believe,” Malaan responded. “Although it appears to be rather unstable.”


Robau ran his hand across his chin in deep thought. “Shields to maximum. Helm, lay in a course.”


“Captain,” Kirk said, turning to his commanding officer, “recommend we launch a probe first. If the wormhole is unstable . . .”


“We are a science vessel, Mister Kirk,” Robau answered. “This is our mission.” Robau searched his first officer’s face and saw his true concern. It didn’t deter him from his course, but he took it into consideration. “We’ll drop a probe on this side of the wormhole and within it. At the first sign of destabilization, we’ll head back.”


“Aye sir, very good. Laying a course.”


Robau watched as they crossed the aperture of the wormhole. The Kelvin lurched suddenly as it was pulled into the hole in time/space. Within, the wormhole was tight with violent discharges of energy unknown. The Kelvin was pushed and pulled this way and that before – at last – they came out the other side.


“Damage report,” Robau called down.


“Minor buckling to the starboard hull,” Pitts reported. “Minor damage down here in Engineering that shouldn’t take much to correct.”


“Get on it, Mister Pitts. Malaan?”


“We have arrived on the outer edge of a solar system. I am detecting a similar machine on a planetoid near us.”


“On screen.”


A moon – a Class-D world – sat nearby. The Kelvin swung out from the planetoid, but maintained a constant lock on the wormhole.


“Scan this system. I want to know everything about it,” Robau commanded, at the edge of his seat.


“Eight worlds, Captain,” Chus reported a few minutes later. He turned to Malaan, whose hands were flying across his station at rapid speeds. “Typical lay-out. Fourth planet appears to be a Class-M, but the atmosphere is in a state of deterioration. I am detecting a massive amount of energy in one section of that world.”


“I am detecting possible vessel debris, but it appears to all be centuries old. Perhaps older.”


“Begin deep scan of the debris, Mister Malaan. Mister Johnson, try and determine our position.”
Johnson immediately started communicating with stellar cartography, sending in data from his chart and what the sensors were observing. After a few moments, he turned to the captain.


“We’ve determined that we’re in the Norma Arm, in the Beta Quadrant, close to the Galactic Core. Stellar cartography is still checking for exact coordinates.”


“That’s fine,” Robau said and sat back in his chair, smiling. This was why he joined Starfleet. Going where no man had gone before.


“Captain,” stated Malaan, “it appears the wormhole is destabilizing. I recommend we reverse course.”


Robau grunted. “Are you certain?”


“Yes, sir.”


“Launch a location buoy. I don’t want to lose this.”

Moments later, the Kelvin emerged on the other side of the wormhole. Seconds afterwards, the wormhole sealed up and the machinery on the asteroid appeared to deactivate. Robau stared at the screen, eyes locked on the machinery below.


“Gravimetric distortions have halted, Captain,” Malaan said. “The machinery appears to be entering into a charging phase.”


“Do we believe that the machine created the wormhole?”


“I’m almost certain of it, sir.”


“Can we beam into it?”


“No. There’s some sort of material in the hull that is preventing us from beaming.”


“I want every detail of that machine scanned, Mister Malaan. Mister Chus, are we certain it doesn’t match anything in our records?”


Chus turned around. “Actually, Captain, I believe I’ve just found a match. The USS Enterprise NX-01 encountered similar technology during their time in the Delphic Expanse.”


Robau looked to Chus. “That’s on the other side of explored space, Lieutenant. There hasn’t been a manned mission to that area since the Xindi conflict. In fact, Starfleet has been giving that area of space quite a wide berth since then.”


Chus turned back to his station. “I understand, sir, but nonetheless, it is a match.”


Robau sighed. “Malaan, how are the scans?”


“Scanning is almost complete. The machine is running off both solar power and using some kind of energy I haven’t seen before. Magnetic drive, it looks like. The technology itself is far beyond our capabilities.”


“That much is obvious,” Robau answered.


“Captain, I am receiving a transmission from the USS Houston,” said the communications officer. “He’s advising we intercept with him. A Klingon D-7 Attack Cruiser has just been detected in this sector.”


Robau slammed his fist on the arm of his chair. “Damn!” After his outburst, he rubbed his forehead in thought before turning to Malaan. “Reprogram the probe to send us a signal when it looks like the machine is fully charged. Do you think the Klingons would look into this?”


“I doubt it, sir,” Kirk stated. “The Klingons aren’t interested in exploration.”


Robau agreed. “Helm, take us out of the asteroid belt and lay in a course with USS Houston. Warp factor five.”


-----------


Robau is awesome.

 

[thew40]

CONFERENCE AGAIN

“Last month, we received telemetry from the probe, indicating that the machinery was charging back up,” Robau said, the story concluded. “We also have data from the scans we did on the other end of the wormhole. There’s evidence to suggest that the Class- M planet was once inhabited by a humanoid species. In addition to all of this, not only does the technology match that of which the Enterprise NX-01 found, but it also appears to be the same type of technology that the Preservers left on Amerind.”


Captain Kirk looked to his parents. They had, of course, heard about what had happened to him on Amerind. Winona was giving Jim a look of sympathy.


“So you believe you have found the Preserver homeworld?” asked Spock.


Robau shook his head absently. “We’re not sure what we found. It’s like a puzzle, Mister Spock. We have a piece in the Delphic Expanse. We have a piece on Amerind. We have a piece in Garto’Rus and in the Norma Arm. This indicates that the Preservers were wide-spread throughout the Alpha and Beta Quadrants.”


“So what are our orders, sir?” Kirk asked, wanting to get to the point. “I’m assuming we’re going to journey through the wormhole?”


“Correct, Captain. We’ve also found a way to communicate with the machinery and hopefully, keep the wormhole open.” Robau turned to George and Winona. “I asked your parents to come aboard because of their previous experience with this star system. In addition, your mother’s background in anthropology will be an asset.”


Robau then turned to Doctor Farrah. “Doctor Farrah is an expert in exobiology as well as archeology. She will be assisting us on this mission.”


“Our mission is to determine what happened to the Preservers,” Farrah said then. “An ancient race that spanned vast swaths of the galaxy, maintaining technology that far more advanced than our own . . . and we can track them down to still existing at least up to five hundred years ago. And yet, they’ve vanished. There is no mention of them in any other historical database or archeological finds save for on Amerind. If the Preservers still live, we want to know more about them. We need to know more about them.”


The rest of the conference went fairly easy. Scotty was to help make sure the Kelvin could handle another trip through the wormhole. Uhura was to work with Spock, Farrah, and Winona on getting a command message to the wormhole machine. After a while, the conference broke up and they all went their separate ways. As promised, Winona made for McCoy.


SICKBAY

“The Kelvin is mainly made up of cadets and science officers. It’s certainly not what it used to be,” Winona told McCoy. “It’s not exactly like coming home again.”

McCoy smiled. “I didn’t think it would be, to be honest. Tell me, Lieutenant Kirk, how can I help you?”


“I haven’t been a Lieutenant in years and won’t be for much longer. If you want to be formal, Mrs. Kirk is fine. Or even Winona. My son calls you Bones, correct?”


“That he does. And you’re more than welcome to as well.”


Winona smiled. “I wanted to ask you, is Jim doing all right?”


McCoy rolled the question around in his mind. “Physically, just fine.”


“I’m not asking you about him physically. Nor even medically. If you didn’t know this, he considers you one of his closest friends. His captaincy has been full of hardships. Miramanee, for one, but he also told about Edith Keller and . . . well, his brother. Samuel.”


McCoy lowered his head. “Mrs. Kirk . . . your son has been through a lot. Beyond the more emotional situations you’ve described, the weight of command has been on him. He has a tendency to throw himself into it when times are tough. It’s very good for a captain, because we know we can count on him when things look grim. But it’s when things aren’t so grim that I’d be concerned about. It’s when he has a chance to feel the pains of his lost ones that worries me.”



Winona sighed. “Me too, Doctor. Me too.”


----

Not much, obviously, but still a little snippet to the story going.

 

[thew40]

SHIPS

Kirk joined Scotty in the turbolift on board the Kelvin some time later. The Engineer was clearly frustrated by the time he had spent in the Kelvin’s engine room; his face a reddish color, a sheen of sweat was on his forehead, and he wore a frown.


Scotty wiped some of the sweat away. “I cannae believe that engineer, Captain.”


“Oh? Why’s that?”


“He’s this little . . . thing. A race I’ve never seen before. I get down to Engineering and he’s climbin’ on everything in sight! And he has everythin’ cross-wired and patched here and there! I couldn’t make heads or tails of it.”


Kirk nodded. “Do you believe she’ll make it through the wormhole?”


“I cannae guarantee it, Captain, but I think so.”


“Very good, Mister Scott.”


The turbolift doors opened up and revealed the corridor leading to the transporter room. This is where Scotty got off. Kirk himself remained and went the bridge. The activity on the bridge was staggering; cadets were moving from station to station, checking and re-checking systems. Keeping the old vessel in shape was one thing; being prepared for the up-coming journey added on top of that was another.


Robau rose from his chair and strode towards Kirk at the back of the bridge. “Your engineer doubts Kenser’s handiwork.”


Kirk grinned. “I wouldn’t take it personally, Commodore. I’m confident in the Kelvin.”


“As am I, Captain.” Robau sighed and turned to the active bridge. “That being said, I do believe this will be its final voyage. We’ve been keeping up to spec for years, but it’s time has come. The decommission order came just after we received the probe’s telemetry. It’s everything I can do to keep the ship out here now.” Robau turned to Kirk fully. “I’ve always said – sentimentality is one of mankind’s weaker attributes.”


“Sentimentality keeps want is important to us alive, sir. It’s not always a bad thing.”


Robau grinned himself. “Perhaps.”


The turbolift doors parted at the moment and George Kirk entered the bridge. “Captain, Commodore,” he greeted with a friendly smile that Robau saw in James just seconds ago. “We’re entering the Gator’us system, correct?”


“Yes sir, Mister Kirk,” Robau answered. “Care to take the conn?”


“Happy to, Commodore. See you on the other side, Captain.”


Jim Kirk smiled at his father. “Keep her steady . . . Commander.”

***

Captain Kirk was on his own bridge just a few minutes later and he marched to his chair. Spock was busy at his station, along with the rest of the senior staff. Chekov turned to the Captain.


“Keptain, our sensors detected a wessel, possibly Klingon.”


“Where is it now?” Kirk asked.


“We can’t find it,” Sulu answered.


“Mister Spock?”


Spock looked up from his station. “Unknown, Captain. It is possibly that the Klingons may have gained a cloaking device from the Romulans. It is also possible that they were simply traveling through this sector and did not detect us.”


“Lieutenant, did you notify the Kelvin?”


“Aye, Captain. They’ve been advised. Commodore Robau has ordered the mission to go along as ordered.”


Kirk leaned back in his chair. Robau’s attachment to his ship was something to be admired, but Kirk was damned if he was going to see Robau endanger the Enterprise. His devotion to the mission was just as dangerous; if the Klingons were to get involved . . .


“Best to be underway, Mister Sulu,” Kirk ordered. “Full impulse. Scotty, divert as much power as possible to the deflector.”


“Aye, sir.”


“Easy now.”


The Enterprise dove into the asteroid field. The Kelvin moved behind here. The Enterprise lurched here and there between asteroids and the gravitational fluctuations. As the Enterprise took it all in stride, the voyage aboard the Kelvin was harsh.


At last, the arrived at the origin of the distortions. The wormhole device still stood on the asteroid, in the very heart of the distortion field. Uhura went to work, re-routing the commands from the Kelvin through the Enterprise and towards what they could determine was a communications array on the machine.


“Captain, we are being scanned,” Spock reported. “As is the Kelvin, just as it was years ago.”


“Has the command message been received, Uhura?”


“Aye, sir, but no response from . . . wait a minute, Captain. I’m getting an audio transmission.” Uhura began to work her fingers across the panels before her, accessing databases and coordinating the many functions of the universal translator. At the same time, the computer began to read into the transmission and determine its nature. Within seconds, Uhura had it ready for her Captain. “I have it translated, sir.”


“Let’s hear it. And pipe to the Kelvin.”


“Welcome, my children. I open the door for you.”


Kirk looked back at Spock, eyes wide. The voice sounded far too similar to that of Sargon. Kirk rose from his chair and walked over to Spock.


“Theories?”


“Jim, if it is Sargon we are dealing with or perhaps something he left behind, it would explain a few things.”


“Such as?”


“Sargon’s people claimed to be the originator of many humanoid species. It would be logical that they would wish to preserve members of those species that would one day become extinct.”


“Let’s keep that in mind, Mr. Spock. Lieutenant?”


“I believe the program is in a loop, Captain,” Uhura reported.


“The wormhole is opening,” Sulu stated from his station. Kirk turned watched as it appeared – a swirling hurricane of color with bolts of lightning dashing between it and the Preserver’s machine. Kirk sat down and took in a deep breath.


“Signal the Kelvin, Uhura. We’re going in.”


--------


Accents. They are hard.

 

[Mistral]

You grabbed me with the Preserver title-I've always been fascinated with them. Well written, well paced and thoughtful. Injecting elements of JJs universe was cool too.

 

[thew40]

You grabbed me with the Preserver title-I've always been fascinated with them. Well written, well paced and thoughtful. Injecting elements of JJs universe was cool too.

Thanks! I've actually been having a bout of writer's block with this one, but hopefully I'll be able to overcome it soon! In the meantime, here's the next part . . .

------

TERMINUS

Sulu lurched forward as the Enterprise was thrown out the other side of the wormhole. Reports starting coming from all over the ship, reporting minor damages here and there. Sulu wiped a sheet of sweat from his brow, almost accidentally maneuvering into a gravimetric eddy during their travel. His hands were at work again, the Enterprise moving away at impulse as the Kelvin shot out the wormhole.


“The Kelvin?” Kirk asked, concern in his voice.


“Buckling to ventral hull and a minor plasma leak, Keptain,” Chekov called out, then turning to his commanding officer. “Not bad.”


“Agreed. Spock? Coordinate sensors with the Kelvin. Are we where we’re supposed to be?”


“Aye, Captain. I’m reading the planet nearby.”


“Standard orbit.”


The Enterprise lead the Kelvin onward.

***

It wasn’t long until Robau ordered a landing party. Captain Kirk, Spock, Doctor McCoy, Sulu, and Uhura arrived along with two security guards. Next to them from the Kelvin came Robau, Winona, George, Doctor Farrah, three other people in blue uniforms, and a security guard.


The terrain was rocky and barren, the wind hollow. There was a soft hum somewhere out in the distance.


“Begin your scans,” Doctor Farrah ordered the trio of blue uniforms behind her, as well as Winona. Spock and McCoy trailed behind them as Uhura and Sulu kept an eye out with the security officers.


“Never thought I’d be feeling like this again,” George said, smiling and soaking in the alien air.


“Oh?” Jim asked, the two of them left just far enough away to talk like this.


“To be out here, on another planet, exploring again.” He laughed. “Adventuring again.”


“Feels good, doesn’t it? That feeling of being out where no one else has ever been, seeing things that have never been seen. To be so far away from the familiar.”


George’s smile faded into a soft grin. “Just be careful, Jim. There’s a difference between exploring . . . and running away.”


“I’m not running away. And this is hardly the time.”


“Well, we can agree on part of that.”


“Gentlemen,” interrupted Robau. “Come see this.”


The two Kirks followed the Commodore up a tall incline. Standing upon, they had a clear view of the source of the energy spike. There, sitting in the center of a canyon, was a city. A force field shimmered around it, sizzling every now and then. The city itself wasn’t very large – a few buildings, tall and spiral-shaped – were tucked behind a low wall, from which the force field was generated. Standing in the center of the city was the same obelisk that stood on Amerind.


“Fascinating,” Spock said, approaching now with the rest of landing party. “I am reading an energy field of unknown origin.” Spock began to adjust the controls on the tricorder, taking deeper scans and watching as the screens analyzed the field. “From what I can tell, the force field is strong enough to maintain the environment within, but weak enough to allow organic life to enter, such as ourselves.”


“I’m getting some strange readings here, Mr. Spock,” Doctor Farrah reported, showing him her own tricorder. “Energy signals from deep below the surface. It almost looks like there’s another city underground.”


Winona looked to both the Commodore and her son. “Well, what are we going to do?”


“I think we should head towards it,” Kirk said. “See if they can give us a tour of the city.”


Winona grinned sardonically at her son’s remark and then stepped down from the slope and started towards the city. Kirk followed his mother, and the rest of the landing party was right behind them.

------

~W~

 

[Mistral]

Cool-hope you break the block soon. I know how it is-you're probably sitting there going:
"What's in the city for them to find? I gotta be careful and not f--- myself up for later in the story!" Been there and it sucks. Good luck!

 

[thew40]

Cool-hope you break the block soon. I know how it is-you're probably sitting there going:
"What's in the city for them to find? I gotta be careful and not f--- myself up for later in the story!" Been there and it sucks. Good luck!

Pretty much. The source of my writer's block is actually focused more on one of the characters and trying to develop her to a point that I like.

Here's the next part, in the meantime . . .

------

THE CITY GATES

The wall was a lot taller than they first thought it to be. After nearly an hour march, the landing party found the wall to be a good twenty-five feet tall and completely smooth. Above them, the force field shimmered and hummed lowly, giving way to a feeling of being so very small compared to all this.


“Commodore, I believe we are being scanned,” Spock said then, staring down at his tricorder.


“I had the funny feeling we were being watching,” McCoy added.


Robau reached out and pressed his fingers against the wall. At that moment, a section of it shimmered with green light. There was a sound from within the wall and it suddenly opened up, revealing the other side.


“Let’s go,” Robau ordered, the security team taking a defensive formation around the group.


They entered the city proper and found the streets and the air just as empty the landscape around it. The buildings stood like sentinels in the air, reaching high towards to the late morning sky. Something like a bird shot across their path then. Despite the bird’s appearance, though, it wasn’t like any bird they had seen – it was metallic and shined in the sunlight.


“I’m reading robotic activity,” said one of the science officers. “Something is coming this way.”


Almost everyone drew a phaser. A humanoid came their way – though it was really just a robot. It marched silently towards them, placid plain expression on its fake face. Something inside of it sounded old and dull, maybe broken and worn out. The robot stopped right in front of them, looked them up and down, then looked up. The robot was about ten feet tall – a giant, in some respects.


“I AM THE HAND OF THE KEEPER. THE KEEPER AWAITS. FOLLOW ME, CHILDREN OF THE KEEPER.”


Kirk and Spock exchanged a sidewise glance. This mission was getting more odd by the second.


“Who is this ‘Keeper?’” Kirk questioned.


“And how are we his children?” Spock followed up.


“ALL SHALL BE EXPLAINED.”


The Hand of the Keeper started walking and the crowd started following, but never once lowering their phasers. They followed the Hand of the Keeper through the spiral of streets, all of which seemed to converge on the obelisk.


Doctor Farrah pulled out her tricorder, assuming that it was safe to put her phaser away what with everyone else having drawn one. She began to scan the city for any sort of life at all – nothing, except for some strange organic readings from below the surface. The tricorder began to scan the environment and that did bring up some questionable data.


“Lieutenant Kirk?” she asked, catching up with Winona. “Take a look at this.”


As the two stepped together almost in synch, Winona looked over Farrah’s scans. Winona pulled out her own tricorder and started to scan.


“Odd. Jimmy . . .”


Kirk paused, rolled his eyes to his father, and turned back to Winona. “Yes, Lieutenant?”


At this point, the whole group stopped – including the Hand. Kirk and Robau walked back to Winona and looked at her readings. According to the tricorder, the pristine city was thousands upon thousands of years old – but didn’t look a day over fifty. It was perfect and beautiful.


“There should be some damage. So kind of erosion, at least,” George said, looking left and right at the city.


“Unless these robots are keeping them in good shape,” Robau added.


“ALL SHALL BE EXPLAINED.”


All turned to the Hand of the Keeper, who stood and stared at them, his expression blank and dull.


“I think he wants us to follow him some more,” McCoy said.


“Let’s not keep the Keeper waiting,” George suggested.



It didn’t take long for them to reach the Obelisk. It towered so far high above them, casting a thin shadow against the ground, the Obelisk itself glistening the sunlight. The Hand of the Keeper stopped in front of the Obelisk and looked down. A pair of doors opened at the base of the Obelisk. Robau sterned and looked back at the rest of the landing party.


“Phasers on stun. Can we still contact the Enterprise and the Kelvin?”


Uhura pressed her communicator and reached her relief on the bridge rather quickly. “Yes sir.”


“Then let’s go.”

 

[kes7]

The little kid in me is going, "Cool! Giant robot!"

The adult in me is thinking this is an entertaining read and wondering what comes next.

 

[Mistral]

The little kid in me is going, "Cool! Giant robot!"

The adult in me is thinking this is an entertaining read and wondering what comes next.

Indeed!

 

[thew40]

Wow! Thanks so much, guys! I'm really blown away by your praise - I thought no one was going to be reading it. Thank you!

Here's the next part . . .

-------

THE OBELISK

Uhura and Sulu walked side by side with a security officer covering their back. The Hand of the Keeper resumed his leadership. The immediate interior of the Obelisk was a long corridor with dim white lights that ran along the ceiling. Uhura check her communicator once more and saw she was still in touch with the Enterprise.


“Tricorder readings have not changed,” one of the science officers reported to Doctor Farrah. “Still reading organic material below, as well as energy fluctuations.”


Doctor Farrah nodded swiftly. “There might be some kind of shielding in place.”


The corridor continued further and further on, deeper and deeper into the Obelisk. At last, they arrived at a large chamber with four other corridors that split off from it. There were circles of light on the ground, sitting like discarded halos. The Keeper of the Hand led to them to the centermost circle.


All at once, the floor descended.


“Remain calm, everyone,” Kirk said, but not sure why. He had a strange sense of déjà vu as they began to travel down into the floor. Maybe it was just that he had been in these situations before so many other times that he just didn’t feel panicked or worried. Or maybe there was something else to it . . .


Above them, the hole that was left by their elevator vanished by another circular part of the floor. Lights came on around them, soft and ambient. The elevator picked up speed and as it did, the tricorders came alive with readings. The energy signatures they detected became more distinct, the organic matter more intense, and the life-forms more active.


At last, they came out into a new chamber, this was smaller and less elaborate. Kirk’s eyes fell onto one thing. An orb, being lifted up from a massive apparatus. It lit up as soon as they all arrived.


“Greetings children. I am the Keeper.”


Kirk and Spock exchanged eye contact, but this time they looked to McCoy as well. He looked at them both harshly, as if to say ‘Not this again, damn it.’


Nearly two years ago, they had seen a very similar orb – it had belonged to Sargon, a member of a long-extinct race. It held his incredible mind. Two other orbs were also present, one holding Sargon’s wife; the other, his enemy. In the end, they were all destroyed.


And yet, here was one now.


“Ah, Sargon. My last ally,” the Keeper said then. “I am the last.”


“Keeper . . . are you a Preserver? Was your species as member of the Preservers?”


“So many questions, so many answers,” the Keeper stated. “So many things I want to tell you! So many mysteries to reveal! Are you the children we’ve been waiting for? You seem to be but . . .”


The Keeper trailed off into silence and Kirk was left feeling uncertain. He stepped forward. “What is this place?”


“This is the city, the garden, and the spiral.”


“The spiral?”


“The spiral. Home of the people.” The Keeper paused. “I can not share with you that I know, but I can tell you some. But first, tell me where you are from. That will be the first step.”


At that moment, a three dimensional map of the galaxy appeared. Sulu stepped up and pointed to the edge of the Alpha and Beta Quadrants. The map zoomed in, displaying numerous worlds within that area. He touched on Earth.


“Though I am from Vulcan,” Spock added, pointing to his planet.


“Half of him is, at least,” muttered McCoy.


“Keeper, what is the purpose of the city above? How is it kept in such shape?” asked George Kirk.


“It was once our city. This was one of our worlds. A colony, until the Great Cataclysm.”


“Great Cataclysm?” George questioned.


“A war, in a sense. A disaster, in another. I still do not know if you are the ones that we are waiting for. Please enjoy the garden whilst I contemplate.”


At that, the wall vanished, revealing a beautiful garden beyond, underneath an animated representation of the sky far above. They would be told that this was a garden of flowers lost to time and death.

 

[kes7]

"Half of him is, anyway."

I love McCoy.

Good chapter, fascinating stuff.

 

[fleetcaptain]

I have to agree. Some great stuff here so far. Can't wait to see more. Would be interesting to see you do some more w/ The Kelvin and her crew. Like a miniseries or something.

 

[RobertScorpio]

I have to agree. Some great stuff here so far. Can't wait to see more. Would be interesting to see you do some more w/ The Kelvin and her crew. Like a miniseries or something.

I was thinking the same thing. I just read this during my lunch break; found it very involving! Keep it coming

Rob

 

[Mistral]

And I'm caught up. The Keeper reads minds? Hmm.....

 

[thew40]

Wow! Thanks for the feedback, guys! I really appreciate it!

I just finished this first part of the saga yesterday, though I'm revising the ending before I get to the "Part Two." As far as a Kelvin mini-series - we'll see, though I certainly like the idea.

Well, here's the next part . . .

------

K’VORK

The Captain looked at his science officer with skepticism. He had insisted on having one aboard, simply because there were things in space K’vork didn’t understand and dying because of those things was not honorable. His science officer, an older Klingon with slowly forming ridges of his forehead, grunted in frustration.


“It is a wormhole, sir. An artificial one that both Starfleet vessels journeyed through,” he said again. “I’ve checked with the Romulans. They confirm my findings. It is stable, for the time being.”


K’vork leaned back and rubbed his own forehead, wondering when the treatment would kick in and return his ridges. He pointed to communications officer.


“Open a channel,” he barked. “Get me the Romulans!”


Seconds later, Commander Avar appeared on the screen, her bridge a brightly colored, clean-cut contrast to the dim and crimson lighting of K’vork’s. She smiled that fake smile and looked at him like meat to be eaten and choked on.


“Captain, I understand you’re having trouble believing your science officer -- ”


“I’ve come to see his point of view,” K’vork answered. “He says the machine on the asteroid’s surface is generating the wormhole.”


“It appears so.”


“Such technology would be advantageous to both our empires. This would be a glorious find in the name of our alliance.” K’vork gave her a grin. “Of course, it would be a shame if the Federation were to get in our way.”


Avar nodded curtly and turned to someone off screen. She nodded at them, then turned back fully to K’vork. “Let us proceed.”


THE GARDEN

“Half-answers, confusing phrases, and nothing to go on. This Keeper is no Sargon.”


Winona sat and stared at her son with genuine concern. “I’m sure we’ll get something out of him. Have a little faith.”


Kirk considered her optimism. It was strange to be working alongside his parents. He felt a need to push harder, to show off a little more. They had of course read his letters and heard about his missions – but to have them here, for them to bare witness to what he had to do when things got a little too deep . . . it was very strange.


“I know this isn’t the time, James,” Winona said, sitting down a rock. They were surrounded by vast crimson trees with purple and blue leaves. “I just wanted to know if –”


“I’m doing just fine, mother,” Jim replied, turning fully to her, but unable to go any further. What could he say? What would he say? What words could convey the sense of loss that he had been feeling these past few weeks, emotions thought buried stirred back up by Janice Lester?


“And . . . if something is bothering me, then . . . I’ll be okay.”


Winona forced a smile and hugged Jim tightly.


“Now, if it’s okay with you,” Jim began, pulling away, “I would really like to start getting some answers around here.”

***

Doctor Emily Farrah stood up from the surface, tricorder beeping loudly as she ran every scan she knew how to. “Vegetation is exactly that,” she said glumly. “The grass is grass.”


“Well I could have told ya that,” McCoy replied, wearing his familiar sardonic grin.


Farrah didn’t feel like sharing in his humor. As always, she focused instead on what she knew and what she could see. The scans on the grass gave no indication as to where they came from – though what was interesting was that some of the trees came from several different worlds spread throughout the Alpha and Beta Quadrants.


“Mr. Spock, what do you make of this?” she asked the Vulcan.


“Most curious,” he noted, taking the same readings as she.


“I agree,” Doctor Farrah responded.


“Oh brother,” McCoy said with an eye roll.


He turned and saw Kirk as he marched through out of the garden and towards the large door that led to the Keeper’s chamber. Doctor Farrah followed his lead, tricorder bouncing against her hip as she picked up her pace.


This was what she had signed up for, wasn’t it?


The pair entered the Keeper’s chamber. Kirk looked back briefly to her, then to the Keeper’s glowing orb.


“I want answers, Keeper,” Kirk demanded. “What is the spiral? What is the purpose of the garden?”


‘It is what was lost, what plants we could take before they vanished forever.’


“You are your people – Sargon and the others - are you all Preservers? Did you build the Obelisk on Amerind?”


‘Yes.’


Kirk nodded, finally satisfied a little bit with an answer.


Doctor Farrah stepped up. “What is the spiral? What are these life-forms we’re detecting?”


‘I have the answers, but they are not for you. I have determined that you are unplanned, the great unforeseen end of an ancient attempt at shaping life. I understand that now, I understand it. But I do not understand you.’


“What does that mean?”


‘I must know more about humanity. I must.’



Doctor Farrah took a few steps forward. “How can I help?”


The orb’s glow increased briefly. A red light flared above Emily and she screamed in agony. Kirk spun towards her, in shock as he watched her body go into convulsions and collapse to the ground in a heap. The red light dimmed quickly and Kirk rushed to her side. McCoy and George ran back into the chamber. McCoy pushed Kirk out of the way as he went to work with his tricorder.


“My God, Jim,” he muttered. “She’s just . . . dead. Everything about her body just turned off. I can’t . . .”


George watched a calm rage cross his son’s face. Jim Kirk rose to his feet, phaser in hand and pointed it at the Keeper. His finger was on the trigger and the slightest movement would fire it off. George stared at his son for moment, then back to the Keeper.


“Jim . . .”


“Why did you do that?”


‘Your lives are in danger,’ the Keeper said.


“Yes! From you!”


‘No.’


At that moment, Robau and Uhura entered the chamber, leading the rest of the landing party. “Captain, word from the Enterprise. They’re under attack from a Klingon vessel,” Uhura reported.


“They must have followed us,” Robau told Kirk. “Where’s Doctor Farrah?”


“Commodore, she’s dead . . .” George answered.


Robau looked over to the fallen body of Emily Farrah with wide, shocked eyes. “Damn.”


“Give me one reason, Keeper!” Kirk threatened, phaser still pointed at the orb. “One reason not end this right now.”


‘Yes.’


The landing party watched then as Kirk’s phaser clattered to the ground and his hands shot to the sides of his head. His face contorted in pain and he fell to his knees. Winona and George ran to him, McCoy at their heels, his tricorder ready.


“We have to get out of here,” Sulu said, growing impatient knowing the Enterprise was under attack.


The Keeper's orb glowed brilliantly white. 'LEAVE.’