Ten days ago, Captain Pike's communicator received a message from the small outer-colony of Tarsus IV. The captain and his crew were engaging in negotiations with a planet that was willing to join the Federation in exchange for their aid in fighting off a nearby slaver. The message, therefore, was stored for private use until after the mission was completed, as per Starfleet regulations. It was two days prior to the current stardate, that Pike was notified of the distress call from Tarsus IV. Hence the tension that was palpable in the air around the captain as he had waited on a response from Admiral Archer. A response that came nearly an hour ago.
Pike had been given permission to deviate from the course home to stop at the growing relief force for Tarsus IV. Despite the depletion of rations, they had been authorized to help the peaceful armada for one week, after which they would need to return to Earth to resupply. The Captain would never forget the moment of betrayal, panic and fear he felt when he had finally been transported back onto the Truman after a grueling mission.
. . . .
"Well done, Captain!" Lieutenant Jay had called from his station behind the transport controls.
"Thank you, Jay. But we couldn't have done it without the help of our translator." The Captain put his hand onto the shoulder of the newest member of his crew. "You proved your worth out there, Friesen. You did well."
The kid beamed like an Acamarian on the day it gets its first tattoo. "Thank you, sir."
Pike nodded. "Before anyone retires for the night, Doctor Eerley needs to see everyone in the Med Bay," he called back to the small landing crew. Groans and mumbles from an overtired group was too relatable to Pike for him to scold the breach of protocol.
A shout of "Captain!" announced Commander Finnlay into the small control room.
Pike stood aside to let the crew pass, not paying too much attention to the out of breath look on his friends face. "What is it, Finnlay? I'm off duty for the next twelve hours. Have the Beta Team look over the problem."
"Chris," his friend stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. "It's Jamie."
The crowded hallway went quiet. Everyone knew of the Kirk siblings Captain Pike had taken under his wing, and everyone knew how much they meant to him.
"What?" his voice was barely a whisper.
"There was a distress call from Tarsus IV. There was an accident, something the lab was testing."
"Jamie?"
"Last we heard, the colonies had gone underground."
"What do you mean 'last we heard?'" Chris demanded.
Finnlay clenched his jaw and swallowed to wet his dry throat. He'd met the Kirk siblings several times over the last four years and it had taken jamie all of two of those visits to get him wrapped around his finger. But for all his admiration of the two, they had become his friends life. "Last communication with the surface was over a week ago."
. . . .
"Captain," Commander Finnlay placed his hand onto Chris's shoulder, his brow pinched tight in worry. The captain had been staring at the launch controls for over five minutes. "Are you alright?"
Shaking himself out of it, Chris looked up at his second. "I'm fine," Chris gave him a tight smile to reassure him.
It didn't work. "Chris," Finnlay said lowly. "She's going to be alright."
"Did you read the latest report form the relief force? They can clear a section of the air long enough to get a glimpse of the surface."
"I know," Finnlay tried to console him.
"They wrote that everything on the planet was dead. There wasn't a spec of green in sight."
"I know, Chris," Finnlay glanced around the deck. "Look, how about you take a break. We'll be coming up on the armada in a little under an hour, and you've been in that chair for nine, so, take a break. Go call your boy, Chris."
Chris considered it for a moment before nodding. "Take the chair?"
Finnlay looked down at it before shaking his head. "We'll comm if we need you."
Chris nodded once again before taking the short trek to his quarters. Once he was there he did the same thing he had done this morning, and last night, and a few times yesterday afternoon, which was replay the recording left on his device.
He sat down heavily onto his couch. And fought back tears as Jamie's face came on his PADD.
"Hey Chris, sorry I missed you. I just wanted to let you know that First Tarsus is doing another launch—you know that thing that knocked out all the satellites last time? Anyway, I just didn't want you to worry if communications drop again. Hope everything is fine on the Truman and you didn't start a war. Oh! And we need to talk about when I'm coming home this summer. Miss you! Talk to you soon. Bye."
Wiping his hand over his face, he dialed the code for Sam.
"Chris, any news?" was the greeting he received.
Sighing loudly, he said, "Not yet, we are still about an hour out. What about your source? What's going on with the relief force?"
Sam had a friend who had been assigned to the Perpetua.
"Williams said that they found a way to remove the gases from the atmosphere. He doesn't know all the specifics but he knows that it will leave some oxygen and a few others but if they have to continue to break through the shield—that's what they are calling it—then the planet will be rendered inhospitable."
"If they break through the shield, will they be able to get everyone off before the atmosphere kills them?"
"I don't know. I would assume so. Williams said that it's taking them so long because they are trying to leave so much of the natural elements."
"Good," Chris noticed the dark circles under Sam's eyes and how his hair was messier than usual. "Are you sleeping okay?"
Sam looked at him surprised, like he always was when Chris was able to deduce something from a single look. "Are you?"
Chris smiled a little. "Touche."
After a moment, Sam asked, "She's going to be okay, right, Chris?"
Chris shook his head, "I don't know. All we can do is have hope. She's strong," he whispered, more to himself than to Sam.
"Yeah," Sam whispered back. "The distress call from the First Tarsus lab said that it was only affecting plant life on the surface. If Starfleet is close to breaking through the shield, she should be safe. A little hungry, but alive."
"You're right. Last I heard—wait, how did you get a hold of the original message?" the captain asked, hoping he was wrong.
Sam stopped talking and looked away, unable to meet Chris's eyes.
"Damn it, son."
"I'm sorry, Sir. I just needed to know."
"Sam if the academy finds out you could be seriously reprimanded. They could go so far as to never let you fly from the Captain's seat. Not to mention its illegal."
"It's Jamie, Chris. I needed to know," he argued.
Chris took a deep breath. "Fine, but if you need to know anything else, just ask me. I can find it for you. Agreed?"
"Agreed."
A voice came over the intercom telling Chris he was needed on the bridge. Summoning a small smile, Chris said goodbye to the cadet and walked to the command room.