Status: Under heavy editing!
The Human Mind Is Not a Terribly Logical or Consistent Place
Chapter 5
The Human Mind is Not a Terribly Logical or Consistent Place
Chapter 5
Adrien’s POV
My lips left his and I looked down at his face sliding my fingers across his cheek as he smiled up at me. “You have no idea how hard it was for me to not do that sooner,” I whispered pressing my forehead against his.
“I don’t think you’ve had as hard of a time waiting like I have,” he smiled as he caressed my cheek lightly.
“Dr. Pike you are wanted in the transporter room for the arrival of Spock and the Vulcans,” a voice called over the intercom breaking Leo’s and my moment. I groaned jumping off the table and walking to the transporter room where Chekov was readying the transportation.
“Locking volume, transport in 5-4-3--” Chekov spoke pressing buttons.
“It’s okay, to be scared,” I heard Spock’s mother tell him as the world crumbled around them. As they started to transport the grounds crack reached closer to them until Spock’s mother was sucked up into the earth.
“MOTHER!!” Spock yelled as she fell before him.
“NO!!! I”M LOSING HER!!” Chekov yelled trying to get her location but it was too late the Vulcan’s materialized in front of us with Spock still reaching out for his mother.
“Spock,” I whispered as he looked up at me. “You need to sit down and talk with me,” I told him as his emotions flooded through his body.
“I do not need to talk to you Doctor. I have no emotions they remain the same even with the death of my human mother,” Spock spoke as he stood up and looked directly at me.
“Suit yourself Spock but ignorance to emotions won’t solve anything. I can read your mind and see into every felling you have ever felt,” I spoke harshly as he walked past me.
Bones, Kirk and I walked up to the bridge where Uhura scanned for enemy signals. “Lieutenant, have you confirmed that Nero is headed for Earth?” Spock asked Uhura.
“Their trajectory suggests no other destination, Captain,” Uhura replied.
“Earth may be his next stop, but we have to assume every Federation planet’s a target,” Kirk spoke adding his thoughts.
“Yes, agreed-- but why didn’t they destroy us,” Chekov looked over at us.
“Why waste a weapon. We weren’t a threat,” Sulu commented.
That’s not it. He said he wanted me to see something. The destruction of my home planet,” Spock spoke as I stepped up.
“Nero wanted to hurt us mentally, take our captain, then destroy our new Captain’s home planet. He wants to show you something because he has lost something. He has lost his family,” I spoke looking at Spock.
“And how the hell did they do that by the way? When did they jump so far ahead in the arms race?” Bones asked.
“The engineering comprehension necessary to artificially create a black hole may suggest the answer: such technology could theoretically be manipulated to create a tunnel through space and time,” Spock explained to Leo.
“Damnit, man I’m a doctor, not a physicist -- are you suggesting they’re from the future?” Bones asked trying to understand the half Vulcan’s words.
“That is what he’s suggesting and I don’t buy it,” Kirk spoke looking at Spock.
“I would buy it Kirk. These are not Romulans from our time they are far stranger and they are burdened with a great pain that has yet to arrive,” I explained looking at everyone.
“If you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains -- however improbably -- must be the truth,” Spock said adding on to my words.
“How poetic,” Leo said sarcastically.
“Then what would an angry future Romulan want with Captain Pike?” Kirk asked as all of our faces fell remembering our kidnapped Captain.
“As Admiral he know details of Starfleet’s defenses,” Sulu explained as I nodded my head.
“What we need to do is catch up to that ship. Disable it, take it over and get Pike back,” Kirk said as everyone looked at him like he was crazy.
“Fantastic, I’m in,” Leo said bitterly as I slapped his shoulder.
“Captain Pike left us with standing orders to rendezvous with the fleet on the other side of the quadrant,” Spock started challenging Kirk, “We’re technologically outmatched in every way. A rescue attempt would be illogical,” Spock finished.
“‘Illogical’-- you’re funny. That is Admiral Pike! That is Adrien’s father. What about her, what about how she feels?” Kirk yelled back at Spock as I stood frozen in my steps.
“Not to mention we couldn’t do it anyway: Nero’s ship would have to drop out of warp for us to overtake them--” Chekov added to Spock’s words.
“What about assigning Engineering crews to try and boost our warp yield?” Kirk asked.
“Remaining power and crew are being used to repair radiation leaks on the lower decks and damage to the main deflector shield-- without which we cannot communicate with Starfleet,” Spock said calmly.
“--Okay-- Okay, okayokayokay-- there’s gotta be SOME WAY!” Kirk yelled looking at him.
“We must gather with the rest of Starfleet to balance the terms of our next engagement,” Spock stated.
“There won’t be a next engagement, Spock: by the time we’ve ‘gathered’, it’ll be too late-- how many planets are you willing to risk? You say he’s from the future? Knows what’s going to happen? Then the logical thing is to be unpredictable,” Kirk said trying to get him to understand.
“You’re assuming Nero knows how events are predicted to unfold. The contrary: Nero’s very presence has altered the flow of history, beginning with the attack on the U.S.S. Kelvin, culminating in the events of today -- thereby creating a new chain of incidents that cannot be anticipated by either party,” Spock spoke as I listened understanding every word.
“Does anyone understand him?” Leo asked looking at my shocked form.
“He created an alternate reality. If he would have never came here Vulcan would be alive, Kirk’s father would be alive, and my father would be here,” I spoke thinking of the possibilities.
“Precisely. Whatever lives we might have lived, if the time continuum was disrupted... our destinies have changed,” Spock said before turning to Sulu, “ Mr. Sulu, plot a course for the Laurentian system, Warp Factor Three--” Spock ordered.
“Wait, don’t do that, Spock, running back to the rest of the fleet for a confab is a massive waste of time,” Kirk fought.
“These were the orders Captain Pike issued when he left the ship,” Spock explained as I slowly got angrier.
“He also ordered us to go back and get him! Spock, you’re Captain now!” Kirk yelled again.
“I am aware of my responsibilities, Mr. Kirk!” Spock yelled back.
“Every second we waste, Nero’s getting closer to his next target!!” Kirk said getting in his face.
“That is correct and why I’m instructing you to accept that I alone am in command,” Spock replied.
“I will not allow us to go backwards, away from the problem, instead of hunting Nero down!” Kirk yelled again.
“Then I must remove you from this ship. If I confine you to the brig, you’ll likely escape. Mr. Chekov: have transportation prepare a deployment capsule. Mr. Sulu escort him out,” Spock said as I object.
“NO! You can’t do that Spock! We will all die!!” I yelled as Spock turned to me.
“I can have you escorted off this ship too Dr. Pike,” Spock calmly spoke.
“Try it, I dare you, my father would fire you in an instant,” I spoke coldly.
For a second no one moved, everyone was contemplating their next move until Sulu stood up. “I’m sorry,” Sulu spoke apologizing to Kirk as he grabbed him.
“Yeah, don’t worry ab--” Kirk started saying but he swings, Sulu jerks away dodging the punch and grabbed his wrist. Kirk elbows him as Chekov reaches for his phaser but Kirk slams him, the phaser drops, Kirk reaches for it but Spock’s fingers clamp on to Kirk’s never and he drops instantly.
I was sitting in my office looking over Spock’s mental state as Bones came into my office knocking lightly. “Hey come in,” I spoke sadly as he came and sat in the chair in front of me.
“I wanted to let you know that Spock called for you to see him on the bridge,” Bones spoke anger in his voice.
“I’ll go in a second,” I said smiling lightly at him. “He isn’t mentally stable,” I told him looking down at the file.
“And how do you know that?”
“I can look into the mind of any person and if looked into Spock’s, he isn’t doing well at all,” I explained as I stood up from my desk.
“I’ll walk up to the bridge with you,” Leo smiled as he lead me through the door.
When we got onto the bridge Spock stood up and greeted us.”Hello Dr. Pike and Dr. McCoy. I call you her D. Pike because I am aware of your mental capabilities and I would like you to use them to go inside your fathers mind to see what they are doing to him,” Spock explained as I nodded my head.
“I need a chair and silence as I do this, and Leo stand by for medical. My body in a way will be taken over by the scene I see I will not be myself. Do not touch me even if I started bleed if someone breaks the string to their mind by touching me it can kill my father and I,” I spoke as I prepared to make the connection. Everyone watched in silence as my mind started to seep into Captain Pike’s my eyes rolled back into my head and I spoke in the voices of the people around Captain Pike. “You are only the second human I have ever met, face to face. You must have so many questions for me. I only have one for you. I need the subspace frequencies of Starfleet’s border detection grids. Specifically those surrounding Earth,” I spoke in Nero’s voice as everyone listen carefully.
“Christopher Pike -- Captain U.S.S. Enterprise, registry NCC-1701,” I spoke in my father’s voice as the people let out a sigh of relief knowing he wasn’t dead yet.
“Christopher. Answer my question.”
“No. You answer for the genocide you just committed on a peaceful planet--”
“I prevented genocide. Where I come from, Christopher. . . this ship is just a mining vessel. I chose a life of honest labor to provide for myself. . . and the wife who was carrying my child. I sit here now. . . knowing you as enemies. Not just today. But of tomorrow. I watched as your Federation did nothing. They let us burn to death. . . as our planet broke in half.” Everyone listen curiously.
“Then Nero, you’re confused. Romulus has not been destroyed, How can you blame the Federation for something that hasn’t happened--?”
“It did happen. I remember it. I. . . felt it. When I lost her. . . I promised I would not speak another word until the day of my retribution. In twenty five years I forgot the sound of my own voice. . . but I didn’t forget the pain. That feeling cannot be erased. A feeling that every surviving Vulcan now shares.”
“If what you say is true. . . you can save Romulus. You have a second chance to-”
“Yes, which is a gift I won’t waste on mercy. My purpose, Christopher, is not simply to avoid the destruction of the home I love. . . but to create a Romulus which exists, free of the Federation. Only then will she be saved,” I spoke as Nero again but by this point I was shaking and blood started to seep out of my nostrils.
“Then we have nothing more to discuss,” I said as Pike.
“It’s not the fault of the human race that Starfleet chose Earth as its center. You’re a more noble race than my fallen cousins. I’ll take no pleasure in your extinction.”
“How reassuring.”
“The frequencies, please.”
“Christopher Pike -- Captain, U.S.S. Enterprise, registry NCC-1701,” I stated as tear slipped from my eyes.
“As you wish,” I whispered as Nero and fell out of my trance. Everyone stared at me in shock waiting for everything that happen.
“Because my father did not give up the frequencies Nero has given him a Centaurian Slug but I cannot find out anymore information I’m still weak,” I spoke slightly out of breath everyone nodded and went back to their work as Spock walked over to Leo.
“I’m aware that James Kirk is a friend of your. Supporting me, as you did, must have been difficult,” Spock said looking at Leo.
“. . . are you thanking me?” Leo asked after a pause.
“I’m simply acknowledging your difficulties,” Spock spoke as I whipped away the blood and tears.
“Permission to speak freely, Sir,” Leo asked with attitude behind every word.
“I welcome it,” Spock said acknowledging his request.
“Do you. Okay then: are you out of your Vulcan mind? Were you doing the logical thing? Maybe. The right one? Debatable. But one thing’s for damn sure -- that kid doesn’t know how to lose. Just isn’t in his DNA. Back home we have a saying: ‘If you’re gonna ride in the Kentucky Derby, don’t leave your prize stallion in the stable.’” Leo replied standing up to Spock.
“. . . a curious metaphor, Doctor. As a stallion must first be
broken before it can reach its potential,” Spock smiled slightly.
“My God, Man. . . you could at least act like it was a hard decision,” Leo said confronting Spock.
“I intended to assist in the effort to reestablish communication with Starfleet. However, if crew morale would be better serves by my roaming the halls weeping, I’ll gladly defer to your medical expertise,” Spock said starring down at Leo.
“You know Spock all he is trying to get you to see is that this is something hard for all of us even you. You cannot hide your emotions from me. I know that you are saddened and mentally unprepared for what is ahead of us. I also know by Starfleet regulations I can force you into relieving the Captain’s chair because of those mental instabilities. I could have your captain’s chair in a heart beat and I wouldn’t think twice about it because I didn’t just lose my home planet. You cannot think straight in this situation Spock and I am giving you one last warning before I remove you from your Captain’s chair,” I spoke as venom dripped from every word.
“I understand Doctor, but are you not also unstable with the kidnapping of your father and his possible death?” Spock asked as everyone in the room stared in silence.
“No I’m not unstable because I accept my emotion. You reject them. Even Vulcan’s cry Spock,” I said before walking away with Leo leaving him in thought.
Chapter 5
Adrien’s POV
My lips left his and I looked down at his face sliding my fingers across his cheek as he smiled up at me. “You have no idea how hard it was for me to not do that sooner,” I whispered pressing my forehead against his.
“I don’t think you’ve had as hard of a time waiting like I have,” he smiled as he caressed my cheek lightly.
“Dr. Pike you are wanted in the transporter room for the arrival of Spock and the Vulcans,” a voice called over the intercom breaking Leo’s and my moment. I groaned jumping off the table and walking to the transporter room where Chekov was readying the transportation.
“Locking volume, transport in 5-4-3--” Chekov spoke pressing buttons.
“It’s okay, to be scared,” I heard Spock’s mother tell him as the world crumbled around them. As they started to transport the grounds crack reached closer to them until Spock’s mother was sucked up into the earth.
“MOTHER!!” Spock yelled as she fell before him.
“NO!!! I”M LOSING HER!!” Chekov yelled trying to get her location but it was too late the Vulcan’s materialized in front of us with Spock still reaching out for his mother.
“Spock,” I whispered as he looked up at me. “You need to sit down and talk with me,” I told him as his emotions flooded through his body.
“I do not need to talk to you Doctor. I have no emotions they remain the same even with the death of my human mother,” Spock spoke as he stood up and looked directly at me.
“Suit yourself Spock but ignorance to emotions won’t solve anything. I can read your mind and see into every felling you have ever felt,” I spoke harshly as he walked past me.
Bones, Kirk and I walked up to the bridge where Uhura scanned for enemy signals. “Lieutenant, have you confirmed that Nero is headed for Earth?” Spock asked Uhura.
“Their trajectory suggests no other destination, Captain,” Uhura replied.
“Earth may be his next stop, but we have to assume every Federation planet’s a target,” Kirk spoke adding his thoughts.
“Yes, agreed-- but why didn’t they destroy us,” Chekov looked over at us.
“Why waste a weapon. We weren’t a threat,” Sulu commented.
That’s not it. He said he wanted me to see something. The destruction of my home planet,” Spock spoke as I stepped up.
“Nero wanted to hurt us mentally, take our captain, then destroy our new Captain’s home planet. He wants to show you something because he has lost something. He has lost his family,” I spoke looking at Spock.
“And how the hell did they do that by the way? When did they jump so far ahead in the arms race?” Bones asked.
“The engineering comprehension necessary to artificially create a black hole may suggest the answer: such technology could theoretically be manipulated to create a tunnel through space and time,” Spock explained to Leo.
“Damnit, man I’m a doctor, not a physicist -- are you suggesting they’re from the future?” Bones asked trying to understand the half Vulcan’s words.
“That is what he’s suggesting and I don’t buy it,” Kirk spoke looking at Spock.
“I would buy it Kirk. These are not Romulans from our time they are far stranger and they are burdened with a great pain that has yet to arrive,” I explained looking at everyone.
“If you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains -- however improbably -- must be the truth,” Spock said adding on to my words.
“How poetic,” Leo said sarcastically.
“Then what would an angry future Romulan want with Captain Pike?” Kirk asked as all of our faces fell remembering our kidnapped Captain.
“As Admiral he know details of Starfleet’s defenses,” Sulu explained as I nodded my head.
“What we need to do is catch up to that ship. Disable it, take it over and get Pike back,” Kirk said as everyone looked at him like he was crazy.
“Fantastic, I’m in,” Leo said bitterly as I slapped his shoulder.
“Captain Pike left us with standing orders to rendezvous with the fleet on the other side of the quadrant,” Spock started challenging Kirk, “We’re technologically outmatched in every way. A rescue attempt would be illogical,” Spock finished.
“‘Illogical’-- you’re funny. That is Admiral Pike! That is Adrien’s father. What about her, what about how she feels?” Kirk yelled back at Spock as I stood frozen in my steps.
“Not to mention we couldn’t do it anyway: Nero’s ship would have to drop out of warp for us to overtake them--” Chekov added to Spock’s words.
“What about assigning Engineering crews to try and boost our warp yield?” Kirk asked.
“Remaining power and crew are being used to repair radiation leaks on the lower decks and damage to the main deflector shield-- without which we cannot communicate with Starfleet,” Spock said calmly.
“--Okay-- Okay, okayokayokay-- there’s gotta be SOME WAY!” Kirk yelled looking at him.
“We must gather with the rest of Starfleet to balance the terms of our next engagement,” Spock stated.
“There won’t be a next engagement, Spock: by the time we’ve ‘gathered’, it’ll be too late-- how many planets are you willing to risk? You say he’s from the future? Knows what’s going to happen? Then the logical thing is to be unpredictable,” Kirk said trying to get him to understand.
“You’re assuming Nero knows how events are predicted to unfold. The contrary: Nero’s very presence has altered the flow of history, beginning with the attack on the U.S.S. Kelvin, culminating in the events of today -- thereby creating a new chain of incidents that cannot be anticipated by either party,” Spock spoke as I listened understanding every word.
“Does anyone understand him?” Leo asked looking at my shocked form.
“He created an alternate reality. If he would have never came here Vulcan would be alive, Kirk’s father would be alive, and my father would be here,” I spoke thinking of the possibilities.
“Precisely. Whatever lives we might have lived, if the time continuum was disrupted... our destinies have changed,” Spock said before turning to Sulu, “ Mr. Sulu, plot a course for the Laurentian system, Warp Factor Three--” Spock ordered.
“Wait, don’t do that, Spock, running back to the rest of the fleet for a confab is a massive waste of time,” Kirk fought.
“These were the orders Captain Pike issued when he left the ship,” Spock explained as I slowly got angrier.
“He also ordered us to go back and get him! Spock, you’re Captain now!” Kirk yelled again.
“I am aware of my responsibilities, Mr. Kirk!” Spock yelled back.
“Every second we waste, Nero’s getting closer to his next target!!” Kirk said getting in his face.
“That is correct and why I’m instructing you to accept that I alone am in command,” Spock replied.
“I will not allow us to go backwards, away from the problem, instead of hunting Nero down!” Kirk yelled again.
“Then I must remove you from this ship. If I confine you to the brig, you’ll likely escape. Mr. Chekov: have transportation prepare a deployment capsule. Mr. Sulu escort him out,” Spock said as I object.
“NO! You can’t do that Spock! We will all die!!” I yelled as Spock turned to me.
“I can have you escorted off this ship too Dr. Pike,” Spock calmly spoke.
“Try it, I dare you, my father would fire you in an instant,” I spoke coldly.
For a second no one moved, everyone was contemplating their next move until Sulu stood up. “I’m sorry,” Sulu spoke apologizing to Kirk as he grabbed him.
“Yeah, don’t worry ab--” Kirk started saying but he swings, Sulu jerks away dodging the punch and grabbed his wrist. Kirk elbows him as Chekov reaches for his phaser but Kirk slams him, the phaser drops, Kirk reaches for it but Spock’s fingers clamp on to Kirk’s never and he drops instantly.
I was sitting in my office looking over Spock’s mental state as Bones came into my office knocking lightly. “Hey come in,” I spoke sadly as he came and sat in the chair in front of me.
“I wanted to let you know that Spock called for you to see him on the bridge,” Bones spoke anger in his voice.
“I’ll go in a second,” I said smiling lightly at him. “He isn’t mentally stable,” I told him looking down at the file.
“And how do you know that?”
“I can look into the mind of any person and if looked into Spock’s, he isn’t doing well at all,” I explained as I stood up from my desk.
“I’ll walk up to the bridge with you,” Leo smiled as he lead me through the door.
When we got onto the bridge Spock stood up and greeted us.”Hello Dr. Pike and Dr. McCoy. I call you her D. Pike because I am aware of your mental capabilities and I would like you to use them to go inside your fathers mind to see what they are doing to him,” Spock explained as I nodded my head.
“I need a chair and silence as I do this, and Leo stand by for medical. My body in a way will be taken over by the scene I see I will not be myself. Do not touch me even if I started bleed if someone breaks the string to their mind by touching me it can kill my father and I,” I spoke as I prepared to make the connection. Everyone watched in silence as my mind started to seep into Captain Pike’s my eyes rolled back into my head and I spoke in the voices of the people around Captain Pike. “You are only the second human I have ever met, face to face. You must have so many questions for me. I only have one for you. I need the subspace frequencies of Starfleet’s border detection grids. Specifically those surrounding Earth,” I spoke in Nero’s voice as everyone listen carefully.
“Christopher Pike -- Captain U.S.S. Enterprise, registry NCC-1701,” I spoke in my father’s voice as the people let out a sigh of relief knowing he wasn’t dead yet.
“Christopher. Answer my question.”
“No. You answer for the genocide you just committed on a peaceful planet--”
“I prevented genocide. Where I come from, Christopher. . . this ship is just a mining vessel. I chose a life of honest labor to provide for myself. . . and the wife who was carrying my child. I sit here now. . . knowing you as enemies. Not just today. But of tomorrow. I watched as your Federation did nothing. They let us burn to death. . . as our planet broke in half.” Everyone listen curiously.
“Then Nero, you’re confused. Romulus has not been destroyed, How can you blame the Federation for something that hasn’t happened--?”
“It did happen. I remember it. I. . . felt it. When I lost her. . . I promised I would not speak another word until the day of my retribution. In twenty five years I forgot the sound of my own voice. . . but I didn’t forget the pain. That feeling cannot be erased. A feeling that every surviving Vulcan now shares.”
“If what you say is true. . . you can save Romulus. You have a second chance to-”
“Yes, which is a gift I won’t waste on mercy. My purpose, Christopher, is not simply to avoid the destruction of the home I love. . . but to create a Romulus which exists, free of the Federation. Only then will she be saved,” I spoke as Nero again but by this point I was shaking and blood started to seep out of my nostrils.
“Then we have nothing more to discuss,” I said as Pike.
“It’s not the fault of the human race that Starfleet chose Earth as its center. You’re a more noble race than my fallen cousins. I’ll take no pleasure in your extinction.”
“How reassuring.”
“The frequencies, please.”
“Christopher Pike -- Captain, U.S.S. Enterprise, registry NCC-1701,” I stated as tear slipped from my eyes.
“As you wish,” I whispered as Nero and fell out of my trance. Everyone stared at me in shock waiting for everything that happen.
“Because my father did not give up the frequencies Nero has given him a Centaurian Slug but I cannot find out anymore information I’m still weak,” I spoke slightly out of breath everyone nodded and went back to their work as Spock walked over to Leo.
“I’m aware that James Kirk is a friend of your. Supporting me, as you did, must have been difficult,” Spock said looking at Leo.
“. . . are you thanking me?” Leo asked after a pause.
“I’m simply acknowledging your difficulties,” Spock spoke as I whipped away the blood and tears.
“Permission to speak freely, Sir,” Leo asked with attitude behind every word.
“I welcome it,” Spock said acknowledging his request.
“Do you. Okay then: are you out of your Vulcan mind? Were you doing the logical thing? Maybe. The right one? Debatable. But one thing’s for damn sure -- that kid doesn’t know how to lose. Just isn’t in his DNA. Back home we have a saying: ‘If you’re gonna ride in the Kentucky Derby, don’t leave your prize stallion in the stable.’” Leo replied standing up to Spock.
“. . . a curious metaphor, Doctor. As a stallion must first be
broken before it can reach its potential,” Spock smiled slightly.
“My God, Man. . . you could at least act like it was a hard decision,” Leo said confronting Spock.
“I intended to assist in the effort to reestablish communication with Starfleet. However, if crew morale would be better serves by my roaming the halls weeping, I’ll gladly defer to your medical expertise,” Spock said starring down at Leo.
“You know Spock all he is trying to get you to see is that this is something hard for all of us even you. You cannot hide your emotions from me. I know that you are saddened and mentally unprepared for what is ahead of us. I also know by Starfleet regulations I can force you into relieving the Captain’s chair because of those mental instabilities. I could have your captain’s chair in a heart beat and I wouldn’t think twice about it because I didn’t just lose my home planet. You cannot think straight in this situation Spock and I am giving you one last warning before I remove you from your Captain’s chair,” I spoke as venom dripped from every word.
“I understand Doctor, but are you not also unstable with the kidnapping of your father and his possible death?” Spock asked as everyone in the room stared in silence.
“No I’m not unstable because I accept my emotion. You reject them. Even Vulcan’s cry Spock,” I said before walking away with Leo leaving him in thought.