The Beginning of The End

The Beginning

••••••••

"Let's name him Jim..."

"Your father was captain of a starship for twelve minutes. He saved eight hundred lives, including your mother's and yours. I dare you to do better."

"I'm scared Spock."

"Spock..."

***
Star Date: 2260.20

Jim felt like he was floating, hearing voices everywhere from all over. Most were Spocks and others Bones. One begged him to wake up and could feel a warmth on his hand and then it was gone in an instant. There was pain all over and he was screaming at the top of his lungs. After what felt like eternity it started to be less painful, like he was pulling himself together. He saw another version of himself but with brown eyes and much older with an older Spock as well, laughing to one another. Then he was falling towards the ground that he couldn't see except darkness. Falling and falling until-

He snapped his eyes open to his quarters in a cold sweat and his heavy breathing being the only obvious noise. Spock was sitting beside him just about to touch his bare shoulder, there was concern in his eyes. That was the only place you could easily see it, the rest was a face made of no emotion.
"Captain are you well?" Spock monotone voice had a hint of concern and he was in his uniform all except the blue science shirt, in its place the black undershirt.
"Jim remember? We are off duty,"Jim grimaced as he sat up,"and I'm fine Spock."

"Fine has variable definitions." Spock countered just as Dr.McCoy ran into the room with his satchel of Medical supplies and he instantly was running a tricorder over Jim.
"It's 4 AM in the morning in this Godforsaken death trap of a ship. I came running thinking you were-"Bones took a breath as if it was painful and continued in his southern slur," and your just having a nightmare again? Jim this isn't healthy-"

Jim snuggled back into the bed and interrupted, "As I told Spock, I'm fine Bones. And I would really would like to get some more sleep before my shift starts with Alpha crew in an hour."

"Why you ungrateful-" Bones spat and a vein was pulsing on his forehead.
Spock had already stood and made his way through the conjoined bathroom they share and into his own room. Strangely silent and his face having more of a green tinge.
"You come back here you Green Blooded Hobgoblin!" Bones yelled after his retreating back.
"Bones I'm not dying again. That was a year ago." Jim mumbled as the doctor had gone silent at his statement.
"I know Jim, it's just on this Five year mission I can't help but worry or freak out." Bones sighed.
"Go get some sleep, you need it." Jim gave a small smile at his friend.
"Alright I can't argue there. Are you sure you are alright?" Bones scanned Jim one more time to see his vitals were normal.
"Yes Bones I promise." Jim flipped to the other side, facing away from Bones who was walking out the door and only looked back once.

Jim sighed knowing he wasn't going to go back to sleep, not by a long shot, that was the third nightmare they knew about out of the many he lost count of. He tried anyways for a good 10 minutes to no avail.
He got up and stood in his boxers and headed towards the dispenser for his uniform. As he waited for the dispenser he made a cup of coffee from the replicator and had a sip, instantly regretting the decision at the disgusting taste of the poorly replicated beverage.

"Scotty even said he would try to fix that." He muttered to himself.

He put the cup in the recycling shoot and headed to the conjoined bathroom. There he brushed his teeth to get the taste of the coffee out and got into the shower. The warm water soothed his tense muscles and his racing thoughts from the nightmare. His throat felt raw from screaming, he must have in real life and in his dream. A sonic shower would be faster but it wasn't the same as a water one. Some things never change, even if you leave your planet. Jim stepped out with a towel around his waist. The mirror was slightly foggy and he saw the blurred image of his form in the mirror. He wiped away the condensation and took a deep breath. His younger self stared back at him, starved and broken. Jim blinked and his younger self was gone, in his place stood a man with bags under his eyes and their cerulean color darkened with pain. Jim walked back to his room and saw his uniform was ready. He slipped it on and heard Spock move out of his room by the whoosh of his door. Jim slipped on the last of his uniform, the gold command shirt. By now his shift was about to start in 18 minutes. Jim walked to the automated door and stepped out right into Spock who was about to knock.
"I'm sorry Spock!" Jim laughed  as he steadied his first officer by holding his upper arms with both hands. Spock didn't answer for a moment,"Spock...Are you alright?" Jim asked hesitantly. He seemed he was frozen for a moment, until he snapped back into control of whatever was happening in Jim's First officers head.
"I am functioning properly Captain, and the fault is mine since I was in your way. We have 18 minutes and 34 seconds to get breakfast and to be on the bridge."
"Call me Jim,we are still off duty until we hit that bridge." Jim smiled as he headed down the walkway to the food court.
Spock and Jims relationship had had a rough start, with much fighting and disagreements over command decisions. However over the past year of their five year mission they had become more of a team and even have a close friendship in which started over a game of 3D chess.
They walked in unison with Jim at a loose stance and Spock with his hands by his side. Jim would smile and nod at the few occasional crew as they passed and they smiled back. However when they saw Spock they nodded and then moved more quickly with their task. Spock was highly respected and even feared. Eventually they reached the food court with a few crew members inside eating their early meal and too tired to look up. Jim and Spock went to the replicator and sat down with their breakfast. Jim with a simple bowl of cereal with an apple and Spock a plate of Adronn Feltara.
They ate quietly in comfortable  silence while Jim's thoughts sped by like lightning. They both finished with two minutes to spare. They put the trays away in a recycler and speed walked to the bridge. Jim entered the turbo lift first,"Bridge." And the doors closed with the command duo inside and rises to the bridge. At exactly five, Jim and Spock walked into the bridge to find the Alpha crew taking their places as the Gamma crew left to get some sleep.
"Good morning everyone!" Jim smiled at each one and took a seat in the command chair and Spock stood by his side.
"Sir, you have an open communication from Admiral Pike." Uhura turned from her station to look at him.
Jim nodded and stood," Onscreen lieutenant."
Uhura turned to her station and opened the call, Pikes face was on the screen and he smiled.
"Hello Gentlemen." Pike took in the state of Jim and his smile faded a fraction. He could see right through the facade Kirk was putting up but his smile was real.

"Hello sir, do you have a mission for us?" Spock replied.

"The council got a report of a distress beacon in the beta quadrant on an unnamed class L planet. Turns out the ship USS Lantree missed their check in two days ago that was supposed to be crossing through that area." Pikes smile was gone now and he was in complete admiral mode," Your mission is to search and rescue then report back and drop the crew off at space station 24-KB. We already sent you the coordinates and to change course from plotting the star system. Understood?"
Kirk nodded," Yes sir, set course Mr.Sulu. Warp speed 4."
Sulu looked away from the big screen to his station and typed in the course.
"Course set, warp speed 4."
"And Jim?" Pike was looking at him and Jim looked up.
"Be careful son, this one hasn't been explored yet...you don't know what's out there. Pike out."
Jim gave a nod and Uhura cut the connection which returned to the stars moving at warp.
"ETA Chekov?" Kirk sat back down in the command chair and Spock returned to his science station.
"Three hours and 45 minutes." The Russian reported quickly. 

And so they waited...