It was the silence that struck Farrah. She had never truly done this type of thing in anything but a simulation. And in those if you were about to die, the instructors would turn it off.
The free-falling emptiness had no sound, except for the pounding in her chest. Vulcan was rushing towards them at an incredible rate and she was tempted to pull her shoot then, but knew she couldn't.
Only seconds after they dropped, they found themselves shooting along side the large tether that connected the plasma drill to the Romulan ship.
They were plummeting to the surface much to fast for Farrah to get any good details, but the ship above them and the drill had a considerable leap in technology then what the Federation possessed.
Some things were familiar to her, like the high energy pulse device that they were using to drill a hole inside of the planet. But other than that, the entire ship was far more advanced than it should be at this point in time.
How had so many scientific and military developments gone unnoticed and unreported? The Federation had reliable contacts within the Romulan Empire didn't it?
"Away team is entering the atmosphere, sir, Twenty thousand meters," Chekov announces to Spock on the bridge.
"Approaching the platform at fifty-eight hundred meters," Chekov announced again.
"Kirk to Enterprise. Distance to target, 5,000 meters," Jim said over the comm.
"Forty-six hundred meters from the platform," Chekov counted.
"Forty-five hundred meters to target," Sulu announced.
"Four thousand meters," Farrah announced this time.
"Three thousand meters," Olsen counted down.
"Two thousand meters," Jim announced.
"Pulling chute," Sulu said before doing so, followed by Kirk and then Farrah slowing their descent immediately.
A gleaming red blur shot past her, heading directly for the looming drill platform below them.
Realizing who it was Jim called into the comm, "Olson, pull the chute now, now!"
"Two thousand meters!" Olsen said into his comm with laughter in his voice.
"Pull your chute Olson!" Jim yelled out into the comm looking down at Olsen as he continued to drop.
"No, not yet! Not yet! 1,500 meters!" Olsen shouted again this time laughing.
"Pull your chute!" Farrah yelled out to him.
"One thousand meters!" Olsen shouted still laughing before he pulled his chute and slowed down.
But not slow enough.
He hit the platform hard but was still alive, his drop suit had protected him. The impact had only knocked the wind out of him and sent him flying sideways across the metal platform.
Stunned, he scrambled for a handhold on the sloping surface as he slid toward the edge. Still deployed, his chute had caught air and was dragging him backward. Reaching out, he hit the button to retract the fabric. As he did so, he lost what grip he had and tumbled off the edge.
His angle of descent sent him spinning toward the column of plasma energy. Before he could reopen his chute, he made the slightest contact with its white-hot energy.
Incineration was instantaneous.
"Olson!" Jim shouted down.
"Olsen is gone, sir," Chekov told him looking at the readings in the screen which no longer had a red dot for Olsen.
Farrah landed on the platform first, she stumbled and rolled an started sliding off until she got a grip on a piece of the platform. Her chute pulled her back and gripping on to the platform with her right hand, her strongest. She released her left and hit the button on her suit causing the chute to fold back in.
"Pike has landed, sir," Chekov told Spock on the bridge.
Farrah looked up as Jim came flying on the platform tumbling further down the slight slope the she had. It looked to her that he might fall from it but he managed to catch a grip like she had. His chute threatened to pull him back but he lifted a hand to his chest and slammed the button making the chute fold back in.
"Kirk has landed, sir," Chekov said to Spock.
Farrah and Jim both took deep breaths to steady themselves before they both ripped off their helmets. Farrah stood up, bent over and put her hands on her knees. That entire experience had exhilarated and frightening her at the same time.
They both looked up as between them a piece of the metal lifted up and a Romulan man exited carrying gun.
Jim pushed himself up and ran at him struggling with the gun he was holding causing the man to fire off shots that hit Sulu's chute as he neared the platform.
Farrah watched as Sulu lost control and started flying through the air wildly. Beside her Jim took hold of the gun and slammed it in the Romulan's face making him stumble back.
Deciding it was time to get off her ass and do something Farrah stood up straight and walked closer to the ongoing fight.
Jim punches the Romulan man in the face with his fist, before he pulled out his blaster to shoot him but the Romulan man whacked it out of his hand causing it to slide off the edge of the platform.
So much for that plan, she thought as she reached to pull her blaster out.
Before she could however arms wrapped around her from behind and tossed her to the ground, dropping her blaster in the process.
She stood up as the Romulan man moved to attack her and dodged as he attempted to strike her. He barely missed her and then swung again with his other arm. Farrah grabbed a hold of it and pulled with all her strength sending the Romulan man falling to the ground.
She started breathing heavily and realized her mistake. Her best strengths were speed and the fact that she was usually smaller than her opponents. She had underestimated the weight of the Romulan man and would have to take great care not to do so again.
He quickly stood up and attacked her again, this time hitting her in the face and knocking her to the ground. She ignored the pain and pushed herself up. Just in time as the man produced a sword and swung it at the spot she was just laying in. She had no idea where he got it from, and wished he didn't have it as she was weaponless.
She backed up quickly and the man made to attack her but before he could Sulu appeared behind him kicking him away from her as he drew his own sword.
Farrah stood back as they engaged in a sword fight finding her impressed in Sulu's skills and turned to look at Jim who seemed to have trouble with his Romulan opponent
Looking around for a weapon, she couldn't find her blaster and guessed it must have fallen to the planets surface like Jim's.
She spotted her green helmet and ran and picked it up then turned over to see Jim still fighting the Romulan. She snuck up behind the man and hit him across the head knocking him to the ground.
"Thanks," Jim replied breathing heavily.
"No problem," Farrah replied.
They turned to look as the Romulan man stood up again looking dazed but still attacked Jim, who dodged his punches.
Behind them Farrah noticed a third Romulan man come out of the hatch and dodged around Jim's fight to reach him.
The Romulan made to strike her but she ducked and punched the man in the stomach causing him to stumble back. She moved quickly and this time kicked him in the side as he was doubled over from her punch sending him toppling over.
"So you and the Captain huh?" Jim said to her from behind breathlessly
"What?" Farrah replied confused about what he was talking about.
The man she was fighting with stood up again and charged her but she dodged him and kicked him in the back sending him falling face first into the platform.
"So what are you lovers?" Jim asked her and she couldn't help it, she turned to him in shock and disgust.
"Excuse me!" She shrieked.
"Maybe not, he looks old enough..." He started before grunting from being punched in the stomach. He recovered and punched the Romulan in the face, "...to be married."
Farrah was about to reply when the Romulan came up behind her and shoved her to the ground. She quickly pushed herself up and as he attempted to punch her in the face, blocked and then punched him right in the larynx.
"Or maybe your his mistress!" Jim shouted out to her.
Farrah had no idea what brought the disgusting idea to Jim's mind. She'd had enough of this fight and quickly as the Romulan she was fighting clutched his neck with his hands she kicked him in the stomach again, sending him stumbling backwards to the edge of the platform before tumbling off with a strangled cry.
Farrah turned to Jim to question him about his mental state and saw just as he was thrown to the edge and was hanging by his hands. The Romulan man made attempts to step on them but Jim kept moving them out of his way.
"That is disgusting!" Farrah shouted to him looking around for another weapon when she spotted a Romulan blaster, which apparently did not fall off the side like hers and Jim's.
She picked it up and loaded it just as Jim let out a shout of pain and fired killing the Romulan sending him falling off the edge.
"Your a freaking idiot!" Farrah said to Jim walking over and taking his hand and pulling him up on to the platform.
"Why's that?" Jim asked her as he climbed up.
"Because he's my father you dumb ass! Can't you see the resemblance?" She asked him letting go of his hand once he was securely on the platform.
"What! No!" Jim yelled back at her utterly confused.
"Sulu? Can you tell that she's Pikes daughter?" Jim asked looking at the helmsman who stood alone looking at them, the Romulan man he had fought nowhere in sight.
"Yes, sir. In the face, sir," Sulu replied looking at Farrah, "And also that her last name is Pike," He added.
"No it isn't! It's Noël!" Jim yelled back at him.
"That's my mothers maiden name!" Farrah shouted back at him, both from anger and so they could hear her over the noise of the drill.
"Well how was I supposed to know that?" Jim questioned her with an offended look on his face.
"We don't have time for this!" Farrah shouted at him, "Olsen had the charges."
"I know," Jim replied looking around the platform.
"What do we do?" Sulu asked them.
Farrah looked around spotting another Romulan blaster and quickly went and picked if up, "This!" She shouted at Sulu tossing it to him. Before firing at the engine of the drill with the Romulan gun she already had. Jim and Sulu caught on to what she was doing and started firing as well.
Sparks flew and smoke rose from the engines while the platform started to shake. Soon the energy beam from the drill turned off.
"The jamming signals gone. Transport abilities are reestablished," Nyota announced to Spock.
"Transporter control is reengaged, sir," Chekov told him.
"Chekov, run gravitational sensors. I want to know what they are doing to the planet," Spock asked him looking at the screens.
"Aye, commander," Chekov replied before catching his mistake, "Ack, Captain. Sorry, Captain."
"The drills been sabotaged, sir, but we have reached the planets core," Ayel announced aboard the Narada to his Captain.
"Launch the red matter," Nero told him from his command chair.
The officer nodded and went to do as he asked, sending the red matter flying towards Vulcan, passed Farrah, Jim and Sulu who ran to the edge to watch it fall.
"Kirk to Enterprise. They just launched something at the planet through the hole they just drillled," Jim said into his comm, "Do you copy Enterprise?"
"Yes, sir," An officer replied.
"Captain, gravitational sensors are off the scale. If my calculations are correct, they're creating a singularity that will consume the planet," Chekov said to Spock turning around in his chair to face him.
"They are creating a black hole at the center of Vulcan?" Spock asked him, needing confirmation.
"Yes, sir," Chekov replied sadly nodding.
"How long does the planet have?" Spock asked him.
"Minutes, sir. Minutes," Chekov replied solemnly.
Spock jumped out of his seat and walked passed Nyota, "Alert Vulcan Command Center to signal a planet-wide evacuation, all channels, all frequencies," Spock told her turning around and walking at a brisk pace to the lift.
"Spock wait!" Nyota shouted at him, "Where are you going?"
"To evacuate the Vulcan High Council," He replied entering the lift, "They are tasked with protecting our cultural history. My parents will be among them."
"Can't you beam them out?" Nyota asked worriedly.
"It is impossible. They will be in the katric ark. I must get them myself," Spock told her with a small hint of emotion on his face before it was gone, "Chekov you have the conn."
"Aye..." Chekov replied turning back around to his station, "Uh...yay," He said to himself unenthusiastic.
"Kirk to Enterprise! Beam us out of here!" Jim shouted into his comm.
"Stand by. Locking on your signal," A transporter chief replied.
Suddenly the drill lurched causing the three of them to go toppling over. Farrah fell backwards and Jim fell sideways, Sulu however fell off the platform.
"I can't lock on to you. Don't move. Don't move!" The transporter technician told them.
It was to late as Jim was already up and running after Sulu who had fallen off the platform without his chute.
Farrah was about to get up when a familiar white glow surrounded her and she was back on the Enterprise laying down on her back.
She quickly pulled herself up and off the transporter pad and to stand behind the transporter chief listening in to the comms.
"Kirk to Enterprise! We're falling without a chute! Beam us up!" Jim shouted into the comms as he and Sulu fell towards the surface.
"I'm trying. I can't lock on to your signal. Your moving to fast," The technician replied looking at her screens where Jim and Sulu were moving around.
"Beam us up!" Jim shouted again.
"You just had to beam me up didn't you? The only one with a chute," Farrah said to the technician turning to her with a glare.
"I can do that. I can do that!" Chekov said to himself before jumping out of his seat and leaving the bridge.
"Move, move, move, move, move!"He shouted at people he passed on the way to the transporter room, "I can do that! I can do that! Move, move, move!"
Farrah looked up as Chekov ran into the room yelling,"Quick, give me manual control! I can lock on!"
The technician she had glared at moved out of her chair as Chekov started to work quickly.
"Enterprise, where are you?" Jim asked through the comm as they got closer to the surface.
"Hold on, hold on, hold on!" Chekov said to him.
"Now, now, now, do it now!" Jim shouted at him.
"Okay, okay, okay! Hold in! Hold on! Compensating gravitational pill, and..." Chekov didn't finish as the screen told him that it was locked.
Jim and Sulu were wrapped in a familiar white glow with hardly any time to spare. As a second later they would be splattered on the planet's surface.
Instead they landed on the transporter pad, sending some of the glass flying from the impact.
"Oh! Yah-my-oo!" Chekov shouted and the last bit Farrah decided was probably Russian.
Before Chekov knew it arms were wrapped around him and squeezing him tightly, "Your a genius Pavel!" Farrah told him making him blush as she stepped back and smiled at him.
"God," Jim grunted sitting up on the pad.
"Thanks," Sulu told him.
"No problem," Jim replied groaning.
Spock walked up to the landing pad and looked down at them, "Clear the pad. I'm beaming to the surface," He told them.
"The surface of what?" Jim asked him standing up and walking off the transport pad with Sulu.
"What, are you going down there? Are you nuts?" Jim asked him but he was ignored as Spock lowered himself in a crouch.
"Spock, you can't do that!" Jim shouted out to him.
"Energize," Spock ordered Chekov who did as he asked.
"Spock!" Jim shouted again but he was to late as Spock had beamed to the surface of Vulcan.
Jim sighed and turned to look at Chekov and Farrah who were behind him.
He cleared his throat awkwardly looking away from Farrah, "So..."
"So, like I said down there. You're a dumb ass," Farrah told him shaking her head.
"It's not my fault! You told me your last name was Noël! What was I supposed to think?" Jim asked her.
"Anything by that! His mistress! Really?" Farrah asked him in exasperation.
"Hey, it makes sense," Jim replied with a nod defending his choice.
"It does not. Uncle never crossed your mind?" She asked him with a pointed look.
"No it didn't. Why didn't you just tell me your last name was Pike?" Jim asked her in confusion.
She sighed and looked away. She hadn't told him because she was still dealing with that first year at the academy when they met. All her instructors expected more from the daughter of Christopher Pike, she was sick of all the disappointed looks she was getting. She had seen intelligence in Jim's eyes that night, and played it safe by saying her last name was Noël. Surely living so close to the ship yard he would have heard of Captain Pike. The man so many people looked up to.
Then there little name game started and she didn't particularly want to correct him. Even now she was still hesitant in people knowing her last name. But, she also was getting past her fear. She had survived that drop to the platform, and while there battle was not over, she had proven herself just a little.
"I was and still am tired of everyone hearing the last name Pike and expecting me to be something so much more. This is who I am, I can't change anything," Farrah explained looking back up at him, "Your last name is Kirk. You can probably relate," She told him and his face seemed to soften at her admission.
"Yeah...Yeah I know what you mean," Jim replied agreeing with her.
She was right, when he told people his name some of them had no idea who George Kirk was, but others did. And Jim getting in all the trouble at the Academy as he did was not what they would expect from George Kirk's son.
George Kirk had sacrificed himself so the crew of the U.S.S Kelvin could escape. Jim Kirk cheated on tests and got other people to do his work for him. He wondered if he ever made it to captain one day, would he be willing to make that type of sacrifice?
He looked at Farrah who stared at him with that knowing look. The one she had used three years ago in Iowa when they first met. And he had even compared Captain Pikes and her stares, he couldn't believe it took him this long to see the similarity.
Pikes stare was like the man knew something you didn't, like he knew what you were going to do before you did. Farrah's was softer, gentler even. Like she was seeing deeper than that. Into his soul and seeing all his darkest secrets and confronting them. It was a little unnerving, but also slightly comforting.
Jim shook himself of those thoughts. He had already decided he would not be perusing a relationship with Farrah. But...a little voice whispered. That was because he thought that she and the Captain were lovers and he didn't stand a chance. But now, she appeared to be completely available.
The two of them looked over at the transport pad and away from each other as the white glow began signaling transports. They both noticed Spock firsr who appeared to be reaching out in thin air before he lowered his hand and looked away.
The Enterprise flies away as the black hole consumes Vulcan and everyone who had not escaped with it...
Not that I don't love Spock.. But I think since this is a Jim Kirk FanFiciton, I am not going to focus on his scenes anymore unless they are very important. Also, this isn't a Spock romance, so I don't think Ill be including anymore Nyota/Spock scenes either!:)
Thoughts on the chapter?