8

This Is Not The End

Day 387

An alarm started blinking red at Sulu's station. He turned to Pike, "Admiral, the system reports an intrusion in the brig."

"And in the transporter room," Chekov added as the red alert alarm came on, "and in the mess hall."

Pike rose from the chair, "How many?"

"Seven in the brig, five in the transporter room and ten in the mess." Sulu reported.

"How did twenty-two people just beam aboard my ship?" Pike asked, anger mixed to incredulity in his voice, just as Kirk and Spock arrived running on the bridge.

"How did they find us?" was the first thing out of Kirk's mouth.

"I'm trying to figure it out." Chekov muttered darkly.

"Admiral, we should go to warp. They may have trackers like Jim did." Spock suggested and Pike immediately ordered Sulu to do so. Chekov said something in Russian that, judging by Uhura's look, was mostly comprised of swear words.

"There is a virus. It's tracking all our destinations!" Chekov reported.

"How did a virus infect our system?" Spock inquired.

"That damn data card." Pike realized, dismayed.

"They've been tracking us this whole time." Kirk turned to look at Spock, "Why wait until now?"

"I do not know." Spock said, then he asked Uhura, "Were our communications compromised?"

"I'm running a scan, but I don't think so."

"Jim! Where are you going?" Pike called after Kirk, who was entering the turbolift. Spock rushed to follow him and made it just in time.

"Jim," he said while the turbolift descended towards the brig, "You are not thinking clearly."

"You don't know what I'm thinking."

"You think your sacrifice is necessary." Spock replied, effectively proving him wrong.

"You know that thing they put in my head? " Jim's voice had a hint of desperation that made Spock hate whoever put it there, "I've seen every possible scenario and in each of them people I care about die. If this is the only way, then you need to let me go, Spock."

"It seems unfair that you would ask me to do what you were not able to do yourself." Spock retorted.

"That was different." Jim said, and despite his protest Spock knew his words had hit home, "You were bleeding out! I couldn't leave you to die. Listen, they said as long as I did what they wanted, you would all be safe. If they're here to get me back, I'll go. It will buy you time to find and capture them, but as long as I'm on board you're in danger.

"They do not exist." The doors of the turbolift slid open, but they both ignored it. Jim was too shocked.

"What are you talking about? "

"In the mind meld I noticed your captors exhibited the same ticks you manifested." Spock explained, "Doctor McCoy said they were caused by the piece of biotechnology you were implanted with. It is reasonable to assume they too were subjects to the same experiments."

"It was the Reelan." Kirk realized with horror.

"I believe so."

"I couldn't figure out what a group of humans would need a Reelan for. They didn't. He used them all just like he used me." He paused, then in a quieter tone, "I didn't even remember some of the things you saw in the meld."

"I am not surprised, considering the treatment you received."

In that moment Winona ran past the open doors of the turbolift, holding a bat. Both Jim and Spock followed her until she got to the end of the corridor and stopped. She turned, signaling for them to be silent. She waited, poised to strike. Her target, a man masked in the same way Jim had been, appeared soon after. Jim barely saw him before his mother attacked. She delivered a hit to abdomen first, then to the head. He fell to the ground unconscious.

"Are you really taking people out with a bat?" Jim asked and she turned around, a smirk playing on her lips.

"Stunning them doesn't work but this does."

In that moment, three more security officers approached. They were all holding bats just like Winona. McCoy was also with them.

"I'm picking up your victims." The doctor told Winona, who just gave him a thumb up.

"Seventeen down, five more to go, ma'am." One of the security officers informed her.

"Make that four," McCoy corrected him, "Scotty knocked one out when he tried to get into Engineering."

"Great." Winona approved. "Let's go get the last ones, Mr. Hendorff." She turned to smile at Jim, "Stay safe. Spock, don't let my son do anything stupid, okay?" and with that she left to go do her job. Hendorff and the other two redshirts followed her.

"Please tell me Cupcake doesn't have a crush on my mother." Jim whispered in a slightly horrified tone. He hadn't liked the way he was staring at her.

"I think it's just hero worship, if it's any consolation." McCoy told him, "Want to see who this guy is?" he crouched down next to the masked figure and pushed the button under his ear that inflated the mask, making it possible to remove it. McCoy took the mask off, revealing former Starfleet Commander Stevenson under it. The same man who had killed someone just to punish Kirk for his attempted escape. While Jim turned around, unable to look at the unconscious man without wanting to punch him, McCoy took out a medical scanner and began analyzing him.

"He's got the same thing you did in his head." He informed them, unknowingly confirming Spock's theory. Further readings showed he also had signs of torture over an extensive period of time. Spock crouched down too and touched Stevenson's face to search his mind. When he opened his eyes again, he looked up at Jim.

"The Reelan conditioned him, as we suspected."

"Scotty was right. It was just a deceit." Kirk said, suddenly reevaluating everything.

"I've got a Betazoid woman in Sickbay marked like a slave." McCoy interjected, "She certainly didn't go voluntarily."

"That's what he needed the Orions for." Kirk said. "He procured them weapons to sell and they paid him in slaves. His guinea pigs."

"Why kidnap you? You're high profile. Isn't that too much of a risk?" McCoy asked.

"Because I'm the breakable one. That's what he told me." Kirk paused as a realization hit, "I'm the bait."

"I believe you are right." Spock agreed, "This attack is just a diversion, too."

"But he's going to come back, isn't he?" Jim asked and Spock nodded, "Then I know what we need to do."

They separated. Kirk and Spock went back to the bridge to explain what they had found out to Pike, while McCoy put the first part of Jim's plan into action. He removed the trackers from the intruders' bodies, but instead of destroying them he had them sewed inside the protective suits which were then worn by a group of security officers. Jim made it back just in time to see his mother donning one over her uniform.

He grabbed her wrist to stop her and take her aside, "Why do you have to go?" the smile she gave him made Jim's mind flash back to when he was a kid, asking the very same question the few times she had to be off planet for work.

"Because I'm a security officer. This is what I do."

"No, this is what you did almost thirty years ago."

"Wow, way to make me feel old." She laughed, "It's also what I've been doing for the past year, you know."

"I know, I just don't want you to get hurt. I know you only did it for me, but I'm here now. You can go back to being retired."

Winona shook her head sharply, "Not until I get the bastard who did this to you."

"Anything could go wrong." He protested.

"Nothing will. And even if it does, this suit offers a strong protection and besides," she put her hands on his cheeks in a comforting gesture, "I've got my son backing me up and there's no one I trust more. Okay?"

"Okay." He reluctantly agreed.

"Good." She smiled at him, "And tonight we'll dine on that bastard's corpse! "

"Mom!"

"I know… phasers set on stun." She held her hands up in surrender. "It was just an idea."

Day 388

"It's a small vessel, sir. " Sulu reported, "I detect five life signs."

"Feeling cocky." Pike commented darkly.

Jim's eyes searched Spock's, a look of understanding passing between them.

"Admiral, we're being hailed." Uhura said.

"On the view screen."

A pale alien with white hair and amber eyes appeared on the screen, "Admiral Pike. I am Xinis. You have something of mine." He spoke slowly, enunciating every word.

"You have something of a lot of people, Xinis." Pike retorted.

The Reelan smiled, showing his pointed teeth. "I also have something that will destroy you and your planet. Lower your shields and I will beam my subjects aboard." He paused, eyes searching for something, "Where is Mr. Kirk? "

"I'm here." Jim said as he stepped into view.

"Ah. Mr. Kirk. Not so breakable after all." His creepy smile grew even bigger. "I knew you would bring me more interesting subjects, but I did not think you would prove to be one, too. Humans are always so easy to break. Like Mr. Stevenson. My best result. But you are a challenge. I am not done with you yet. You will beam aboard with Mr. Spock. I have wanted a Vulcan for quite some time. Perhaps it will give better results than Betazoids. So weak because of their empathy. They die quite quickly because of it."

"Why are you doing this?" Pike interrupted, "It doesn't benefit your race."

The alien seemed angered, "My race. WEAK! I am a scientist. When I'm done, I will make them better too."

"Did I miss the clause in our contract that said we would be handling all the nut jobs?" McCoy muttered to no one in particular.

"Mr. Spock, I have acquired the red matter from New Vulcan." Xinis continued, "I will destroy what remains of your race if you do not beam aboard."

For a moment the only thing Jim could hear was the noise of Spock's soft steps as if they were resonating in him, matching the last beats of his heart. He felt suspended, even though he knew Spock was not going to offer himself up but just taking the few steps necessary to stand right at Jim's side.

"That will not be necessary." He told the Reelan.

"You would let your race die?" Xinis inclined his head to the side, looking almost intrigued by the thought.

"Negative. New Vulcan had been forewarned and what you hold is not red matter, but rather a very well crafted hologram of the original." Spock relayed and Jim could detect a hint of satisfaction in him.

"Liar!" The Reelan exploded, "It is not possible!"

"Vulcans do not lie." Spock retorted bitingly.

"Don't mess with the real scientists, Xinis." Jim said, a hint of amusement slipping through, "But, hey, you can have your other subjects back."

"Mr. Sulu, lower our shields." Pike ordered. Sulu did so, but was also ready to fire if the Reelan tried anything.

"I will come back! It is not over!" Xinis exclaimed, his speech sounding stilted in his anger. Unbeknownst to him, fifteen Starfleet officers were beamed on his ship. A few of them approached from behind, but Xinis did not pay them any mind.

"I think it is." Said a masked Winona just before she stunned him. The few crewmembers flying the ship were not equipped with the same suits, so taking care of them turned out to be quite easy. In a matter of minutes they had gained control of the small ship.

"Bring it in." Pike told them through the still open connection. He then turned to Spock, "When did you find time to warn the Vulcan Council? "

"Three weeks ago, sir. When Lieutenant Uhura first completed her encryption program, we used it to send a message to my father wherein I expressed my concerns over the arms trafficking we were investigating. Following my suggestion, they took the necessary precautions."

"It's a good thing you did or he could have held the entire Federation hostage."

"Sir, I just received a communication from Starfleet." Uhura interjected, "Captain Tamaro has found Xinis' base on Reela's second moon. They're taking care of all the prisoners."

"Once we knew who we were dealing with, he turned out to be almost disappointingly obvious." Pike commented, thinking how often ego could be the downfall of people the likes of Xinis.

"My god, how many were there?" McCoy asked Uhura.

"They don't know yet, but enough that they've easily lost count."

Kirk and Spock exchanged a look. Kirk touched two fingers to Spock's, a mix of thoughts and feelings passing through. Can't believe it's over. Relief. Tired. Not here.

As if reading all of their minds, Pike said, "Mr. Sulu, I think it's time to go home."

Day 388

Kirk walked to Pike's quarters and waited to be admitted. Pike looked surprised to see him and stood up to meet him, "Jim, I thought you were with Spock."

Kirk nodded, "I was. He's been catching me up on, well, everything."

Pike raised his eyebrows, "That's a long list."

"It's faster than you'd think when you meld." Kirk replied, seemingly without thinking. Not that Pike was surprised to hear it.

"Is there anything I can do?" he asked, curious as to the reason that had brought Jim there.

"No, you've already done so much. I just wanted to say…" Kirk hesitated before finally asking, "permission to act freely, sir? "

Pike's eyebrows rose in surprise, "Act freely? Should I be worrie-" but he didn't manage to finish his sentence before Jim was hugging him fiercely.

"Thanks." He whispered.

Pike, feeling a lump forming in his throat, hugged him back, "Anytime, son. Anytime."

When they separated, Jim said, "I should go back. Spock's waiting for me."

"You two got everything sorted out?"

Jim smiled, "Yeah."

Pike nodded, "Good. Go, he's been waiting long enough." And it was obvious he wasn't just talking about the few minutes Jim had spent there.

When Jim reentered Spock's quarters he walked up to Spock, "I was thinking," he started casually, "I know I have my quarters and all, but- "

"Your quarters are here." Spock interrupted, as if it was obvious.

Jim's eyebrows rose, "Bossy. Normally I wouldn't like it but coming from you it's strangely arousing." His smile was a bit devilish.

Spock's own eyebrows quirked up, "I shall take note of it." He said, making Jim laugh.

"Anyway, I accept, but only because apparently I sleep better with you next to me." He grabbed Spock by his shirt and Spock went willingly, meeting his lips halfway. Love, relief, happiness coursed through their bond as they kissed. At first with an edge of desperation due to the fear that this long awaited moment could have been lost, but it soon evolved into a steady burning. A promise of the life ahead of them.

Six Months Later

"Looks like you found your way to the ship this time."

Jim turned around to see Gaila grinning at him. "Ha, ha. How long have you been waiting to say that?"

"Months." She replied.

"You better go to your station before I decide to leave you at space dock." He said, faking a menacing tone that left her unfazed.

Jim shot a look at Spock, who he could feel through the bond was actually amused.

"So, newlyweds, huh?" Gaila asked, actively ignoring Jim's order, "Five years is a long honeymoon. You think you can make it?"

Jim and Spock exchanged a look and Jim smiled, feeling the contentment coming in waves from his bond mate. "I'm sure of it."

(Just Another Beginning)