Chapter Text
The Original Attempt
Following Nero’s defeat, the Enterprise crew felt exhaustion settle with the conclusion of the battle once the ship was out of danger of the black hole. Crewmembers collapsed in vacant corners to get a few moments of rest before dealing with the aftermath of the fight against the Narada, processing the events and emotions of the past two days. Engineering right away began the task of squeezing every ounce of power they could from the impulse drive with the warp core gone. Communications teams were broadcasting and monitoring subspace channels for aid from any Federation ships or allies in the system. But help was still a long way off. Security personnel, medical staff, and anyone else who had a spare moment worked on getting Vulcan’s survivors aboard settled and comfortable, sparing quarters wherever they could.
Acting captain, James T. Kirk, had given up the captain’s quarters to the Vulcan elders. He knew the quarters were not his to give, but he did not expect Pike would have need of them for the duration of their trip back home. Captain Pike was heavily sedated in Medbay while Bones slowly put the captain back together after the Romulans had inflicted countless tortures on him. Kirk didn’t want to think of what the Romulans put Pike through for him to give up the defense codes for Earth.
As acting captain, Kirk had a thousand different things he needed to do, even though the only thing he really wanted to do was pass out on a bed and sleep away the awful day. He had stopped by engineering to check on the damage down there and was surprised to discover Mr. Scott had taken control of the situation and had everything running as smoothly as could be considering the Enterprise’s casualties. He had a few choice words for Kirk about expelling the brand-new warp core and heart of the Enterprise. Kirk decided he really wasn’t needed in engineering after all. Which meant he needed to do the thing he had been putting off since the battle’s conclusion: face Spock.
Jim felt a wrenching guilt twist his gut every time he remembered the awful things he had shouted at Spock on the bridge to convince him to relinquish command. Sure, Spock had nearly killed him in retaliation, but the things Jim had said were unforgivable, especially now that he had felt the depth of emotion in Spock from the future on Delta Vega. But he had to make amends. He really liked the Bridge crew he had worked with today and he didn’t want to part from any of them on less than good terms.
According to the ship’s computer, Spock was currently on the starboard observation deck. So that was where Jim headed. He touched his neck and the bruises on it briefly, hoping this talk would end in a less physical manner.
Unfortunately for Jim’s procrastination, Spock was on the observation deck when the doors whooshed open. He was standing at parade rest in front of the window, looking at stars that were barely moving under impulse power. No one else was present.
“Good evening, Captain,” Spock greeted. His gaze did not move from the stars.
Jim joined the Vulcan by the window before he spoke, making sure there was a bit of distance between the two of them. “I’m just the acting captain. Especially with Pike back on board. You can call me Jim.”
Spock did not reply.
“It’s a beautiful view from here,” Jim commented. “Though I have always been fonder of the aft observation deck. I like watching the stars race past when a ship is at warp.”
“The aft observation deck is currently occupied by several sleeping ensigns. I did not wish to interrupt their much-needed rest.”
“Very considerate of you, Mr. Spock.”
“It would be prudent for the crew to be at maximum efficiency. This can only be accomplished if the crew are able to take appropriate breaks.”
Jim sighed. “Agreed. We probably need to figure out a shift schedule since we don’t know how long we will be out here. Could be weeks.”
“Indeed.”
“Guess I’ll add that to the list of things to do. I didn’t think there would be so much paperwork being a captain. Almost makes me want to reconsider taking the command track. How are the sciences? I hear the blue shirts can get pretty wild.”
Spock raised an eyebrow. Jim couldn’t tell if he was amused or exasperated, but he guessed it was some combination of the two. But that was probably wishful thinking. “I believe you are attempting to engage in the human practice of ‘small talk,’ something I am neither proficient in, nor have a desire to partake in. And considering the volume of work you are complaining about, would it not be prudent to begin those tasks you mentioned?”
“You could have just told me I was bothering you,” Jim mumbled. “No, don’t reply to that, Mr. Spock,” Jim added, noticing Spock’s mouth preparing a retort. “I actually did have something I wanted to discuss with you.” This was it. Jim’s chance to apologize, to make amends and begin that epic friendship Jim got the faintest glimpse of in his mindmeld with Old Spock. And yet, the words didn’t flow.
“What is it, Captain?” Spock asked. His eyebrow raised as he watched Jim rock on his heels over the railing.
“Just...how are you holding up?” Stupid! Jim chastised himself. “I mean, after all that’s happened…”
“I am performing adequately. I am once again in my control of emotions. If that will be all, I do believe we still both have duties to perform.” Spock’s mouth was a thin line and Jim knew he screwed up.
“I didn’t mean to imply - ” Jim began. “Nevermind. You’re right. Let’s go to the Bridge. Do you want to walk there together? I promise I’ll only talk about work stuff.”
“It would be logical for us to go together as we are headed for the same destination.”
Jim sighed. It was a start. Not a good one, but maybe once he had a decent night’s rest he would be able to properly apologize to Spock.
On the bridge, everyone moved sluggishly, but there was a brightness in the atmosphere too. Everyone was still high on their victory. Jim watched the casual joking between Sulu and the young Russian – Chekov? Yeah, that sounded right – at the helm. Uhura listened patiently while Montgomery Scott, who was on the bridge for some reason Kirk had yet to identify, asked her various technical questions about the comm station on the bridge. Despite it being her first day at said station, Uhura was answering them rather easily. Spock was already back at the science station, monitoring and taking notes on something. Kirk was a little afraid to disturb him about what could be so fascinating while they were basically nowhere at impulse power. If Kirk didn’t know better, it seemed like the Vulcan was ignoring him.
Meanwhile, Kirk lounged in his chair, tracing its curves and doing his best not to doze off while he watched the stars on the viewscreen. His mind kept drifting to his awkward conversation with Spock, and his memories inevitably relived how well the pair of them worked together to take down the Narada. But then it would switch to remembering his anger during the Kobayashi Maru hearing and being stranded on Delta Vega. And then his memories would switch to Spock’s hands around his throat and he had to clench his armrests to keep his fingers from tracing his bruises. Jim needed a distraction. And like a godsend, the turbolift doors opened and Bones stepped onto the bridge.
“What in the Sam Hill? I came to force Jim to rest and yet I am certain all of you are the same crew who were up here when that damned Romulan squid was blown up. Get some sleep! The lot of you! Doctor’s orders.”
“Bones! How are things down in Medbay?” Jim grinned, spinning around in his chair. He loved the fact it could spin. “And Nero didn’t blow up. It was more like he was imploded when the Narada became a blackhole.”
“I’m a doctor. I don’t care if they were sprouting daisies and doing a foxtrot when you were done with ‘em. As long as they weren’t causing any more casualties on this ill-fated hunk of metal.”
“Oi! Watch it! This hunk of junk is Starfleet’s finest work t’ date. She deserves our respect. After all, look at all she got us through today,” Scott countered.
Bones rolled his eyes, ignoring the Scotsman. “Things are as good as they can be in Medbay considering we just fought a genocidal maniac from the future. And as I don’t see us fighting any more genocidal madmen today, I suggest the lot of you head to your quarters and get eight hours of solid rest. Minimum.”
“But, Bones!” Jim complained.
“As Vulcans need considerably less sleep than humans, I would not require your mandatory eight hours of rest,” Spock pointed out.
“Why you, green – “
A shimmering sound interrupted Bones as a being manifested directly to his left, gazing around the room with disinterest. Jim shot out of his chair as he looked over the sudden intruder.
The intruder looked human. He had curly brown hair and wore something that almost looked like it could be some kind of uniform with its black pants and top, red shoulders, and a pin that looked like a Starfleet insignia, though it wasn’t one Jim recognized. And he certainly didn’t act like a Starfleet officer from the way he was draped over the Enterprise’s railing like an Orion hooker at a star base bar.
“Who are you and what are you doing on my bridge?” Jim asked, hand poised above his phaser.
“Captain, should I call security?” Uhura asked. Jim nodded in reply.
“Ah, I wouldn’t do that, my dear.” The figure snapped. “I’m afraid your turbo lift is out of order anyway.” The figure looked Bones over and scowled almost deep enough to match Bones’ incredulous scowl of his own. “Is this seriously the legendary crew my Picard boasted about? The famous Jim Kirk and his Enterprise crew? Can’t say I’m impressed,” the person replied, as he began to walk around the Bridge. “Though, you’re not exactly his Kirk, are you? No. Everything’s changed here.”
“Who are you and what are you doing on my bridge? I won’t repeat myself again,” Jim growled.
“Oh, Jimmy. Tsk, tsk. Is this any way to greet someone who holds your puny little past and future in their hands? I am Q.”
Jim looked around the bridge. The name didn’t spark any of his memories from Starfleet history classes, and from the expressions of everyone else, they didn’t recognize the name either.
“Alright, Q. What species are you then?”
“Part of the Q Continuum obviously.”
There were more blank looks.
“Oh, that’s right. We haven’t officially introduced ourselves to your species yet. Ugh! This will take so much more time to explain. Especially to you simpletons. I’ll say this, Starfleet really scraped the bottom of the barrel in this decade. I mean, don’t look now, but I think your navigator is a child.”
Chekov flushed bright red from what Jim thought might be embarrassment, but looked more like anger.
“Captain, my scans of the being are erratic. It is as if he is both here and not here simultaneously,” Spock commented.
“The Vulcan is right, Jim. He may look and register human, but he’s…well, to be honest, I don’t know what the hell he is. These readings don’t make any sense.” Bones tapped his tricorder with frustration.
“How is zat possible?” Chekov asked.
“You all are incredibly dim, aren’t you? It’s no wonder Vulcan blew up. And you all are supposed to be heroes of the Federation?” Q sniffed. “I must say I am not impressed.”
Kirk’s fists clenched. “If you are just going to stand here insulting us, I insist you leave. We all have better things to do than be insulted by whatever the hell you are.”
“Believe me, there are millions of times and places I would rather be right now. But alas, something has gone very wrong in one of the main timestreams of the universe.” Q snapped, vanishing and reappearing at Spock’s station. “Your little hybrid’s future self is to blame for that, Jimmy boy.”
Jim blanched at Q’s words and glanced at his first officer who was now giving Jim what was probably a scrutinizing stare.
“Is he referring to the Vulcan who insisted on being left on that hellhole of an ice base, Captain?” Scott asked.
Everyone on the Bridge was glancing between Jim and Q curiously. Jim needed to change the topic, get it back on track. And if Q kept insulting Old Spock, Jim was probably going to punch him. The guy had been through enough for one day. And as far as Jim knew he was still on Delta Vega. He made a mental note to pick him up later.
“So what? Are you saying because a bunch of Romulan time travelers went on a revenge spree that you are condemning our entire timeline?”
“Precisely. It all needs to be set right.”
“Then what are you doing here? If you’re so powerful, couldn’t you do some cosmic fixing with a snap instead of talking to us lowly humans?” Jim spat.
“Ah, you have gotten to the heart of the matter at last. You see, I could just snap my fingers and set everything back to how it’s supposed to be. Vulcan survives, Romulans stay in the future where they belong, and everything returns to how it should be. But that’s so boring, ” Q complained.
“What’s your point?”
“Did you know that if I snap my fingers and ‘fix’ everything myself, as you suggest, all of you in your current iterations will cease to exist? Sure, your main timeline counterparts live, but these versions will have never been.”
Jim felt his heart quicken at the thought. Sure, he hadn’t lived the best life between Frank’s abuse, his mother’s absences, and Sam running away. But that life had been his. And he didn’t want it to end, never mind cease to exist. And yet, maybe they all would be better off.
Q continued, “So, I have come to make things interesting. I want to give you a fighting chance for your universe. See if you can save it instead. Does that old Kirk mantra of ‘no-win scenarios don’t exist’ actually hold true?”
Jim looked around at his crew’s confused and terrified faces. “Wait, what do you mean, Q?”
Q chuckled. “Very simple, Kirk. Do what James T. Kirk is supposed to do: the impossible. Save your crew, save Vulcan, and don’t die. And to keep it interesting, I’ll give you a reset button.”
Jim opened his mouth, still confused, but Q snapped his fingers before he could get a word out. The last image Jim saw was his first officer, as stoic as ever, but something reassuring in his eyes that looked a little more human than the rest of him.