This is written for the Spring Writing Challenge. The prompt is thaw.
Returning Home
By Marie Nomad
Admiral James T. Kirk’s body lay in stasis; his body was constantly freezing, just enough to maintain his cells but not to the point of damaging them. Section 31 had kept his body in this perfect state of dead and not death for years, since it was recovered. Why did they do it? Not even they know.
Many years ago, Gary Mitchell became a god. His mind expanded to knowing everything, everywhere. Past, present, and future were all the same to him. Gary knew that he was not destined to leave this world, that his fate would end in a few hours. At that moment, he saw his friend, Jim, dying in the arms of another captain of the Enterprise. He reached out and ordered the shadows of Starfleet to save him.
Section 31: The shadows of Starfleet, the ones who do the dirty work, the puppet masters, became the puppets. They saved the body and healed it just enough. The shadows were curious about him. They kept his body just in case the Klingons and Starfleet went to war again, just in case Admiral James Kirk was needed again. He was kept sleeping, oblivious to the universe outside.
Years, years, the body remained, with the legend just waiting. When he was a god, Gary Mitchell manipulated everything to save him and his friend in a few seconds. Seconds mean nothing to a man who can experience time all at once.
He became aware of Spock and how he had left the Universe, back into the past, and got sent to the pocket universe, where the new universe stayed. Gary Mitchell waited until the pocket universe and his main universe were just in synch enough so that travel between worlds was possible.
“Spock is not dead. He is lost in another world, another universe. Go to him.” He said with clear human eyes.
Jim looked at his old friend. Jim had seen and been through so much to know that anything was possible. He had missed Gary, and he had missed all the friends who had died before him. “What about you?”
“I am already dead. Goodbye, my friend.”
In the deep recesses of Section 31, the machines hummed and sparked to life. The ones in charge of his body were alerted, and before they knew it, Admiral James T. Kirk woke up. He was a man out of time; most of his friends were dead.
Admiral Kirk woke up in a world very different than his own. He was older because his body had aged during his time. Starfleet had gone from visiting planets to other universes, where the most minor change has lasting consequences. All the possible universes, from humanity being extinct to thriving to a level beyond his wildest imagination. He was thinking of only one thing: he needed to save Spock. Starfleet Command had let him go there. They had even granted him an Enterprise.
It was called the USS Enterprise F, captained by a stern woman. She had cybernetics on her face. Her file said that she was taken by ‘the Borg’ mutilated, assimilated, and rescued by another Starfleet captain. Maybe in a different time, he could have gone out to dinner with her. But he was too old, and it didn’t matter. The entire crew stood at attention, waiting for him. She stood up and gestured for him to sit.
“You have command for the journey, " she said with a sense of respect. Kirk sensed that they were waiting, that this young crew, this next generation of Star Fleet, were watching him.
“Thank you, Captain.” He sat down. The chair was different from the others. It wasn’t like the first chair or the others after that.
The journey was long. Traveling to different universes felt different, but the crew looked like they had done this many times.
They reached the universe where his friend Spock was waiting. In that world, Vulcan was destroyed, and Spock remained to help rebuild the Vulcan people.
Admiral Kirk met Captain Kirk. This Captain was raw and rebellious, not raised with the same structure as a stern father. Yet, like the admiral, he became Captain of the Enterprise.
“Are you me?” The young man asked.
“No. We are not the same.” The Admiral admitted.
“He’s dying.” He said. “Your Spock.”
His Enterprise warped fast to New Vulcan, and the Admiral waited anxiously. He transported down to see Spock, his Spock lying on his bed.
“You are alive?” He asked. “I thought you were dead.”
“I was asleep, but now I’m awake.” Jim knelt next to his friend. “I’m here to take you home to Vulcan.”
The older man reached up. “My body is too weak to handle the voyage, the change in universes. I can entrust my katra to you. Go to Vulcan, tell my son, I am sorry.”
“I will.” Jim started to tear up. "I will take your Katra and your body home to Vulcan, where you can rest with Amanda and Sarek.”
“Thank you, my friend.” The two grasped hands and looked at the sunset together. “Remember.” He reached up and put his hand onto his face.
Jim closed his eyes as he felt his friend merging with him, pouring into the empty parts of his soul. All the memories were made fresh, and he can feel his friend by his side. His eyes opened as he was now two people and ready to return home to his Universe, his Vulcan.
The End
Notes:
Returning Home
By Marie Nomad
Admiral James T. Kirk’s body lay in stasis; his body was constantly freezing, just enough to maintain his cells but not to the point of damaging them. Section 31 had kept his body in this perfect state of dead and not death for years, since it was recovered. Why did they do it? Not even they know.
Many years ago, Gary Mitchell became a god. His mind expanded to knowing everything, everywhere. Past, present, and future were all the same to him. Gary knew that he was not destined to leave this world, that his fate would end in a few hours. At that moment, he saw his friend, Jim, dying in the arms of another captain of the Enterprise. He reached out and ordered the shadows of Starfleet to save him.
Section 31: The shadows of Starfleet, the ones who do the dirty work, the puppet masters, became the puppets. They saved the body and healed it just enough. The shadows were curious about him. They kept his body just in case the Klingons and Starfleet went to war again, just in case Admiral James Kirk was needed again. He was kept sleeping, oblivious to the universe outside.
Years, years, the body remained, with the legend just waiting. When he was a god, Gary Mitchell manipulated everything to save him and his friend in a few seconds. Seconds mean nothing to a man who can experience time all at once.
He became aware of Spock and how he had left the Universe, back into the past, and got sent to the pocket universe, where the new universe stayed. Gary Mitchell waited until the pocket universe and his main universe were just in synch enough so that travel between worlds was possible.
“Spock is not dead. He is lost in another world, another universe. Go to him.” He said with clear human eyes.
Jim looked at his old friend. Jim had seen and been through so much to know that anything was possible. He had missed Gary, and he had missed all the friends who had died before him. “What about you?”
“I am already dead. Goodbye, my friend.”
In the deep recesses of Section 31, the machines hummed and sparked to life. The ones in charge of his body were alerted, and before they knew it, Admiral James T. Kirk woke up. He was a man out of time; most of his friends were dead.
Admiral Kirk woke up in a world very different than his own. He was older because his body had aged during his time. Starfleet had gone from visiting planets to other universes, where the most minor change has lasting consequences. All the possible universes, from humanity being extinct to thriving to a level beyond his wildest imagination. He was thinking of only one thing: he needed to save Spock. Starfleet Command had let him go there. They had even granted him an Enterprise.
It was called the USS Enterprise F, captained by a stern woman. She had cybernetics on her face. Her file said that she was taken by ‘the Borg’ mutilated, assimilated, and rescued by another Starfleet captain. Maybe in a different time, he could have gone out to dinner with her. But he was too old, and it didn’t matter. The entire crew stood at attention, waiting for him. She stood up and gestured for him to sit.
“You have command for the journey, " she said with a sense of respect. Kirk sensed that they were waiting, that this young crew, this next generation of Star Fleet, were watching him.
“Thank you, Captain.” He sat down. The chair was different from the others. It wasn’t like the first chair or the others after that.
The journey was long. Traveling to different universes felt different, but the crew looked like they had done this many times.
They reached the universe where his friend Spock was waiting. In that world, Vulcan was destroyed, and Spock remained to help rebuild the Vulcan people.
Admiral Kirk met Captain Kirk. This Captain was raw and rebellious, not raised with the same structure as a stern father. Yet, like the admiral, he became Captain of the Enterprise.
“Are you me?” The young man asked.
“No. We are not the same.” The Admiral admitted.
“He’s dying.” He said. “Your Spock.”
His Enterprise warped fast to New Vulcan, and the Admiral waited anxiously. He transported down to see Spock, his Spock lying on his bed.
“You are alive?” He asked. “I thought you were dead.”
“I was asleep, but now I’m awake.” Jim knelt next to his friend. “I’m here to take you home to Vulcan.”
The older man reached up. “My body is too weak to handle the voyage, the change in universes. I can entrust my katra to you. Go to Vulcan, tell my son, I am sorry.”
“I will.” Jim started to tear up. "I will take your Katra and your body home to Vulcan, where you can rest with Amanda and Sarek.”
“Thank you, my friend.” The two grasped hands and looked at the sunset together. “Remember.” He reached up and put his hand onto his face.
Jim closed his eyes as he felt his friend merging with him, pouring into the empty parts of his soul. All the memories were made fresh, and he can feel his friend by his side. His eyes opened as he was now two people and ready to return home to his Universe, his Vulcan.
The End
Notes:
