Hey everyone, sorry it's taken me so long to write another entry. But to make up for it's a huge update.
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Sarek and Spock got on the transporter pad and waited as Kirk made a final adjustment to his red dress uniform before he stepped on too. The trio energized into the transporter pad of a Romulan shuttle, where they were received by Keras, who had not changed out of his casual, robed duty uniform.
“How are you three gentlemen?” the Commander asked. He smiled at Kirk, whom he quickly struck up a friendship when the Federation and Romulans opened up peace talks. Kirk remembered that day, which Keras had summarized with the realization “You and I are of a kind.” Both were mavericks, and Keras, who was almost Vulcan-like in demeanour, saw an end coming to his people’s isolation and imperialism. A shame it had taken the tragedies of Hobus, the Kelvin and Vulcan before they realized this. Yet Keras was also not so overly optimistic to not seek a military advantage in a Federation alliance – both men knew the Klingon Empire was merely licking its wounds after they lost 47 warbirds upon Nero’s escape.
“I’m good,” Kirk answered, “all a bit of pomp and circumstance though no? Beaming onto a shuttle.”
“Well, we want you to arrive in style. See the splendour of Romulus.”
The typically raptor shaped shuttle descended to the planet’s surface as Kirk and the Vulcans strapped themselves in a pleasant ready room.
“This planet’s quite humid right?”
“It is,” Keras responded to Kirk, “the Romulan ale is most refreshing though.” Kirk eagerly accepted the offer of the drink, which was outlawed in main Federation territories. Obviously he was willing to bend rules when his crew bought it off from off-world colonies, but had not done so in the ambassadors’ presence. The blue drink instantly eased the inevitable nervousness that came with the excitement of visiting another world.
Kirk turned to the Vulcans. “Well you guys lived on a desert, you can walk around in those heavy robes.”
“The air is most pleasant” noted Sarek as he stepped out of the shuttle into an open field at the Romulan capital Ki Baratan. Spock merely looked around, pleased to return to this paradise. Kirk was merely stunned, having seen the planet’s classical beauty from a distance, but only on the ground could he comprehend the vastness of the temples, mansions, streets and bridges - supported by massive arches over lakes - nearby.
Romulan Guardsmen, dressed in ceremonial armor and helmets reminiscent of feather shapes flanked the visitors, and bowed their tridents. The convoy marched down a closed bridge to the Romulan Senate. Kirk was increasingly curious though and wished he had come the day before with his two trusted sciences division officers to explore this beautiful, mysterious world. Of the brief glimpses he got of citizens across a lake watching them past, Kirk noticed some were more alien than he believed. He turned to Spock and declared
“Some of these guys have very large foreheads.”
“We are just a varied, proud people,” shouted a marching Guardsman. He pulled off his own helmet, revealing his own brow bones and enabling Kirk to realize his pale skin complexion was almost green.
“They themselves do not know why,” explained Spock, “and Vulcan history shows no record of our ancestors having them, yet it is a far too quick evolutionary development.”
“Like your Neanderthals?” said Keras, eager to show he remembered of human history.
“But they evolved alongside Homo sapiens, no?” injected Sarek, who had not read up on human evolution for a while.
“What about the Remans?” shouted another Guardsman. Clearly there were no grunts in this brigade.
“What about them?” said Kirk, who had almost forgot Romulus had a twin planet.
“Hi,” said a Reman. Kirk almost jumped out of his skin, noticing the pale, Nosferatu like character behind him. He didn’t know whether the Romulans were evolving or devolving.
The group arrived at the Hall of State, which was separated from the rest of the city, giving it a clear view of the ocean horizon. The Hall was circular and capped by a huge dome: Kirk was reminded of the great domed halls of Earth like St. Paul’s, St. Peter’s and the Capitol Building. The Hall was surrounded by circular, descending walls with numerous gates. The group were escorted through a large lower level gate into a subterranean waiting room, and through a grand staircase next to the entrance into the Senate chamber. Kirk admired the paintings and sculptures adorning the marble walls and floors, noting the Romulans and Romans shared more than just names. At last the great wooden doors were opened, and Kirk, Spock, Sarek and Keras entered.
Keras’ centurion T'Auethn received a transmission from the Vulcan first officer of the Enterprise, informing the ship’s third officer, the helmsman Hikaru Sulu would take over from duty in the meantime. “Very well” T’Auethn responded, wondering what they could do if they were not permitted minor shore leave. He considered offering them a personal tour of Romulus, but he had no subordinate to pass command to.
McCoy took a deep breath as he and Spock went down the turbolift to the transporter room. As medical officer it was his duty to accompany Spock on this dangerous mission. The Romulans keep secrets and they required evidence of the conditions on Remus. The duo changed out of their blue and black uniforms, and into large, black robes and cloaks. Spock took a case when Romulan prosthetics for McCoy, and the two stepped onto the transporter pad, arriving on a cold, eternally dark world. “Remus is tidally locked,” explained Spock, “meaning it is always night on this side of the planet. Now remember, your name is Mendak, and I am Konsab.” Spock finished applying the eyebrows to McCoy, and the two ran to the nearest mine.
The debate went on pleasantly for some time despite the odd barbed comment from senators, who felt the Vulcans almost brought the disaster upon themselves, nevermind it was a Romulan whose grievance lay with those of his own time. Regardless, the senators were grateful to host a planet of scientists who would hopefully save their Empire in future, and possible amendments to loosen regulations over entry into the Neutral Zone should New Vulcan find itself under attack once more. Kirk knew Spock selected the planet because it was a Class M world lacking a sapient species, but also because strategically it would force the Federation and Romulans to act as bedfellows against the Klingons. Spock was logical, but cunningly so.
As Praetor Vrax called the session to an end, many a senator got up to greet the quiet boy wonder of Starfleet. Kirk was humbled and looked over to Keras, who knowingly winked at how the senators saw their friendship as symbolic of the alliance.
“I hope your father was admired as much in Federation as he is in the Romulan and Klingon Empires,” said one. “Thank you, that means a lot,” replied Kirk and he turned to Spock. Now he realized he’d wished he’d asked more about what his Kirk said about his father. He wondered now whether Spock and Sarek had asked about the uninterrupted life of Amanda Grayson in the other universe.
Afterward, Keras’ men escorted them into a shuttle that flew them to a shuttle pad atop a building in the main part of the city. Kirk and the Vulcans were taken into the commander’s living room, where they greeted his wife Arenn and son Gaius. Keras offered Kirk ale and sat down for an idle chat. “Listening to today’s discussion made me wonder what life Nero will live in this reality?”
“I think the name will fall out of favour. It was the name of a tyrant back on Earth.”
“I see the tyrant you are named after has fallen back in favour though,” added Sarek.
“Not really,” laughed Kirk, who moved on, not wishing to explain more Roman history. “I gotta wonder as well, did it really take something like what happened a year ago to create this alliance?”
Sarek bowed his head down into his glass, reminded of his wife. Spock looked out the window, restraining himself from telling Kirk and Keras of how in his life, the latter died in 2266 after destroying Earth’s Neutral Zone outposts and engaging in a prolonged struggle with him as witness. For Spock, Kirk and Keras’ friendship symbolized the hopefully brighter future of the new timeline, one where the Alpha and Beta Quadrants would be better prepared for the Borg and the Dominion. Indeed it was an invasion, that of Nero, that led to this deal: at least the end result was superior to Sela’s occupation or V’Las’ corruption.
He couldn’t help but wonder what has happening in his own universe. Were the surviving Romulans being absorbed into the Federation after losing their world? Or were they all reduced to pirates and bandits like Nero, forever distrustful after the Vulcan Science Academy let them down? How much more space would the Klingons retake after this final nail in the Romulan Star Empire’s coffin? Why he had left when Shinzon took power, and helped the Remans instead of that extremist? He could have prevented the turmoil that distracted them from Hobus. Spock cast his mind back now to Praxis and how that led to peace with the Klingons. Would that also happen in this timeline? Was it his right too to lead them out of that tragedy, or should known history take its course? For this uncertainty, Spock left out this detail to Starfleet.
“So my brother said, ‘maybe because you’re the big hero now, I can myself George instead of Johnny’, and I say, ‘yeah, but people will look at your last name and joke you’re my brother, instead of the son of that kamikaze guy.’” Kirk joked to Keras. Keras laughed, not knowing what a kamikaze was.
“I scanned a skull fragment on the ground, slightly matches Romulan DNA, guys don’t seem to respect the dead,” noted McCoy, waving his tricorder. He was freezing and covered in windswept mud. How that Vulcan could stand this environment astonished him.
“Leonard, your stumbling will give away that you are not a Romulan.”
“Wow, maybe you should’ve known you didn’t need a doctor.”
“I enjoy your company Leonard.”
McCoy didn’t know if that was sarcasm or a real, honest compliment. “Thanks” he muttered. “How much further?”
“Look up above.”
“My God…”
It was like looking at the Narada again, but seeing that space octopus burrowing into the ground and burning blood red. Bridges stood precariously over a moat connecting into the main mining structure. Fire belched from each corner of the goliath. And in the corner of his eye McCoy could see more of these monsters.
“Who are you?” cried a voice behind them A Romulan guard, wielding a disruptor, emerged from a hatch behind them and approached. Speaking in his best Rihannsu, Spock said he was escorting this prisoner, but he only made this bluff to quickly survey the area and subdued the guard, taking his disruptor. He and McCoy climbed down the hatch and closed it. The dank, oppressive corridor reminded the two of how unfinished the Enterprise’s engineering rooms were look on their first adventure, before Scotty supervised their completion over the year.
“Admittedly the weakest part of the plan was getting inside,” reflected Spock. McCoy shrugged, wiping the mud from his face. “That mud fortunately adds to the grimy effect, making our appearance more believable. Let us proceed.”
They entered what appeared to be a minor area. McCoy suddenly realized why his sample was almost Romulan.
The sun was setting on Romulus. Though he enjoyed his day here, Kirk wished to return to the Enterprise to check on his crew, or at least change into something less formal. He flipped out his communicator. “Kirk to Enterprise.”
“Scott here.”
“Where’s Spock?”
“Oh you always want him don’t you?”
“I mean,” embarrassed, “why are you at the comm.?”
“Oh well, I don’t know to be honest. Uhura?”
“I’ll get you linked.” She sounded nervous.
“Thank you.” Of all people, wouldn’t Spock share an off-duty shift with her? Unless…
“He’s not on the ship is he?”
“Well…”
“Nyota, I need to know where all my crew are.”
“He had a mission, he wouldn’t tell me, just Section 31.”
Section 31! That couldn’t be good. If they’d enlisted Spock on a mission he could not refuse. Section 31 weren’t always bad, but as a sheer unknown quantity their presence was always unwarranted.
“Is Bones with him?”
“Yes. Patching him in now”, she said ashamedly.
“Jim?”
“Bones, you’re there too?”
“I had to tag along, but Jim you’ve got to look at this.”
“Captain, are you aware of the various Romulan species?”
“Well I am now.”
“As are we. The Remans are a slave caste.”
Now as morally responsible Kirk suddenly felt, now was seriously a bad time for Section 31 to bring this up. How would the public react if the Federation allied itself with a slaver nation? Not even the Klingon Empire relied on slave labour, beyond those they captured and put to work in jail. He looked around: fortunately Keras had taken the Vulcans to dinner with some senators. The order was given to return him, Spock and McCoy to the bridge. “Beam us up Scotty,” he said grimly.
The mood in the conference room was downcast after the command crew reviewed the footage Spock had recorded. No wonder the Remans were so pale, so sick, their eyes so haunted. Only a lucky few had seen sunlight. Kirk didn’t know how to talk to Keras and Ambassador Spock about this. Why hadn’t he told them? Why was he so eager for an alliance?
“I don’t see why we want to help the bastards anymore,” said Scotty.
“Illogical Mr. Scott. In doing nothing to prevent Romulus’ destruction you would doom their slaves on their twin planet as well,” sighed Spock, wiping the grease from his face.
“Alright, so why not let the Klingons invade? Let them taste oppression.”
“We have no idea how they will treat them. ‘Kill them all and let them rest honourably.’” Uhura responded in a clichéd deep Klingon voice.
“I don’t like that we’re being back into a wall, that we should turn a blind eye to Romulan crimes just because we were indirectly responsible for Vulcan. Let them sort themselves out if they want Vulcan scientists to save their asses in the future.”
“With this knowledge the Romulans could very well save themselves,” responded Spock.
“A race that just got warp?”
“A race that didn’t have warp but still knew how to get across the galaxy regardless. A wide Empire with agents everywhere. They could steal the formula for red matter once it’s worked out within the next century, and then weaponized.”
“Why did you beam down if you did not want to expose the Reman slaves?” asked Sulu.
“I was seeking truth not justice Sulu, now we are here to determine what to do, and am aware of the complications that will arise.”
Kirk realized Section 31 probably wanted to exploit the situation, keeping the Federation in a state of war, and in an economic and scientific boom because of it. Certainly he and Spock wouldn’t object to their requests because their young careers depended on it, but they could find a way around it. Considering Spock’s fairly lenient opinion though, perhaps this is why the old man didn’t tell them.
“Could we bribe the Romulans to end slavery if they want our help?” said Chekov.
“And lose their trust,” Kirk finally spoke. “I think Spock is saying, and likewise his old counterpart is thinking, is once the Vulcans unify with Romulus enough good faith could exist to work towards the abolition of slavery.” Realizing his unintended reference, Kirk glanced at Uhura, who made no outward acknowledgment of her people’s history.
Rand burst in. “You’re needed on the bridge.”
