Lt Commander George Kirk kept his eyes on his console, tuning out the noises and voices of the bridge. He wanted to go home, back to Riverside. Although a lot of the crewmembers came from other colony worlds, most still lived on good old Earth. They had been out on space for a while now, and were ready for a return home. Some for reassignment or retraining, or others like him, just wanting time off. Spend time with his family and make decisions. When Winona announced her second pregnancy he thought of settling down, getting a safer job at a starbase or colony world. He still wanted the starship life and she did too. They will work something out.

The Kelvin, named after the famous physicist and engineer lord Kelvin, was reassigned along the Klingon and Federation border. They had been detoured off their course for Earth by Starfleet. The Kelvin was a research ship and closet to what Starfleet called a potential problem. Someone had detonated some kind of red matter device causing a disturbance.

Usually Kirk loved exploring the unknown, but he was travelling with his family. He had decided to send them ahead. But his wife protested. She was a high risk pregnancy and wanted to stay under the care of the Kelvin's compromised by sending their son, Samuel ahead. They hugged and kissed him goodbye. His grandfather was waiting for him at the starbase and they would be home in a couple of weeks.

A flash brought his eyes to the screen. He felt everyone's startled attention with a second flash. It reminded him of a lightning storm. Lightning in space? Captain Robau, called to the bridge, asked his officers for more information. Kirk watched his captain who was frowning at the screen, heavy eyebrows drawn together." He doesn't know what it is"

Then a vortex opened up and a huge ship came through. An unknown ship, black and sinister, with long spines." It can't be Klingon" Kirk thought. Then the unknown ship locked onto the Kelvin and fired immediately.

The Kelvin returned fire but at was a research ship not a warship. The invaders were skilled at warfare and the Kelvin was critically disabled. Warp drive down, shields still holding. Then a message from came from the invader. A message inviting the captain to come aboard by shuttlecraft and they will ceasefire.

Captain Robau straightened up. A trap, the other ship had no intention of a peace or truce and would not stop this attack. He had no choice. Let himself be taken prisoner, or his 800 man crew would be destroyed. His ship was already lost.

George Kirk watched his captain leave the bridge. The bridge crew fell silent,

tense and waiting. In a few minutes, they got the information they expected to hear. Robau was dead and Kirk was the new captain.

Captain George Kirk gave his final order- General Order 13-evacuate the ship. He watched from the bridge as the rescue ships headed out to safety. With a flash of horror, he saw the invader swing to attack them. He could not let the enemy open fire on them. He put all remaining power into the phasers to protect his escaping crew. With the shuttles safely out of reach, there was one procedure left. Autopilot did not work, only manual. He set to Kelvin on collision course. He would use the dying Kelvin to ram the other ship and destroy it

He did not have much time left. Kirk opened a channel to shuttle 37, to his panic stricken wife. He heard a baby crying and smiled in relief .They made it, they were both safe. A brief conversation on what to name his second son. Goodbye Winona, I love you so much. Goodbye Samuel and James, my good boys. I love you all.

Brace for impact.

Drifting off, he felt himself flying. This is what dying is like. It is pleasant. He felt motion although he did not feel himself moving. Something gripped him around his chest .He heard the clear, high notes of a woman singing.

I am with the angels, his last thought.