Star Trek: Generation Gap

A fanfic novel by: Jason Billingham

DISCLAI !": This story #oes not follo$ any kno$n Star Trek timelines% This story takes place after Star Trek: Generations& an# ass'mes that it $as not (irk that en#e# 'p 'n#er the bri#ge& b't Jean L'c )icar# * yes& I kille# )icar#%%% s'e me% )rolog'e +ne man fallen& the other severely battere#% This $as ho$ it en#e#% ,ith Sa'ran #estroye# along $ith his trilithi'm solar probe& the people of the -eri#ian system $ere save#% .o$& here on the cliff/face $as left only a man& an# a makeshift grave% As the man stoo# over the grave& s$eat bea#e# on his forehea#& his breathing stea#y& only a look of conf'sion on his face% ,hy him0 ,hy ha# he been spare#0 This man he barely kne$& gave his life to save his% 1e #i#n2t #eserve to be alive% 1e #i#n2t #eserve to be here no$% As he tho'ght this he fell to his knees& an# slo$ly raise# his hea# to the sky above an# crie# o't 3,hy him40 ,hy not me045 As his hea# #roppe# into his han#s& a g'st of hot air ble$ thro'gh his hair an# startle# him% James T% (irk looke# 'p at the sh'ttlecraft& a foreign shape an# technology to him& b't $ith the familiar Starfleet markings that ha# been $ith him thro'gh most of his a#'lt life% 1e fell back& an# sat on the gro'n# frantically $aving his arms to get their attention& before his vision finally bl'rre# an# he passe# o't% Chapter 6 +n the s'rface of -eri#ian I-& all $as no$ 7'iet% The last of the crash s'rvivors ha# been transporte# to the resc'e ships& an# $ere either in orbit getting me#ical attention& or on their $ay for some me#ically prescribe# shore leave% The only so'n# to break the silence $as the nat'rally $arm $in#s of the planet& racing over the rocky hills an# cliffs% +ne cliff in partic'lar tho'gh& seeme# most 7'iet of all% .ot even the racing $in#s co'l# break the silence $here a single pile of rocks fashione# into a makeshift tomb lay 'n#ist'rbe#% So still $as the hilltop& that the so'n# of the transporter beam echoe# o't into the caverns& as a lone man beame# to the s'rface% 8pon materiali9ing& this man& $ith his goo# nat're# feat'res& fatherly bear#& an# imposing si9e& no$ seeme# to sl'mp an# #rag his feet as he $alke# to the grave site% Comman#er ,illiam "iker stoo# staring at the pile of caref'lly place# rocks& that covere# his former comman#ing officer2s lifeless bo#y& as a single tear ma#e it2s $ay #o$n his cheek& an# fell on the Starfleet emblem on his chest% As he stoo# there he tho'ght abo't ho$ he ha#n2t even spoken 'p in protest $hen the Captain offere# himself to L'rsa an# Beetor in e:change for Geor#i2s life% ;or the most part& he blame# himself for )icar#2s #eath% There $as& ho$ever& one person he blame# more% +ne person& $ho in "iker2s opinion sho'l# have been the one to #ie% If he accomplishe# nothing else& he $o'l# make s're

that man 'n#erstoo# $hat $as given in e:change for his life& an# ho$ m'ch he $as resente# for it% After a fe$ min'tes& "iker steppe# to$ar# the rock pile& an# tappe# his comm ba#ge% 3;arragat& "iker here% T$o to beam #irectly to sick bay%5 ,ith those $or#s spoken he #emateriali9e# as the pile of rocks fell in on itself& ca'sing a small r'mbling lan#sli#e #o$n the face of the cliff% The last cas'alty of this trage#y $as finally taken home to the stars $here he belonge#% %%% (irk lay in his temporarily assigne# 7'arters on the 8%S%S% ;arrag't& follo$ing a very e:tensive me#ical eval'ation% The only ma<or #iagnosis they ma#e $as that he $as e:ha'ste#% An# $hy sho'l#n2t he be0 1e ha# save# the #ay for the fiftieth0 .o& si:tieth time0 +h $hat #i# it matter& he $as tire# of saving the $orl#% Tire# of al$ays being the one best hope for the Gala:y% .o more% 1e longe# to be back in the .e:'s& Antonia by his si#e ri#ing into the s'nset% It $asn2t real& he remin#e# himself% A fabrication%% a lie% 1e listene# to the lo$ h'm that $as the very p'lse of the ship * it on the other han#& $as very real% Those serving aboar# Starfleet vessels these #ays never hear# it& b't this $as (irk2s first time aboar# a vessel of this kin#% This& $as act'ally his first time aboar# any vessel in nearly => years * or at least that2s ho$ long he $as tol# he spent $ithin the energy ribbon% If it $eren2t for his c'rrent s'rro'n#ings& an# his seeing first han# the technology in even the room he $as in& he $o'l# have escorte# 3them5 to cCoy in sick bay for a f'll mental eval'ation% That tho'ght $as both am'sing& an# painf'l to him% 1e tho'ght of his frien#s& an# ho$ they m'st have mo'rne# his 3#eath5% Then& he $as str'ck $ith a t$ang of f'll blo$n grief as he realise# that most& if not all& of those frien#s $o'l# be over a h'n#re# years ol#%% or #ea#% 1e p'she# the tho'ght from his min#& an# foc'se# on trying to rela:% Breathe in%%% !:hale% Breathe in%%% !:hale% 1e $as calming #o$n& 'sing a ne$ me#itation that Spock ha# ta'ght him not long before the events of the last fe$ #ays% 1e tho'ght abo't it& an# convince# himself that he ha# #one the right thing% ,hat $as it he ha# sai# to the Captain0 3?o'r place is on the bri#ge of yo'r ship%5 1e $as right& b't%%% $hat if0 .o& he p'she# that tho'ght a$ay too * he co'l#n2t possibly be thinking $hat he $as thinking% 1e #i# the right thing& an# ha# gone #o$n to #eflector control himself% There $as no $ay anyone co'l# kno$ that the !nergy "ibbon $o'l# strike in that e:act place% +r co'l# they0 1e co'l# remember his resentment at having to be present on the !nterprise B2s mai#en voyage% 1o$ he felt they $ere r'bbing it in his face% .o& it starte# $ay before then& $hen they first tol# him that he $o'l# no longer comman# a vessel% They trie# to break it to him easy& b't Jim (irk $asn2t going #o$n $itho't a fight% Too ol#% The $or#s b'rne# his ears $hen he hear# them& an# he $as force# to s$allo$ his response like so m'ch bile& b'rining in the pit of his stomach% +l#0 .o% Seasone# maybe& he tho'ght% It #i#n2t matter $hat they sai# to him to try

to comfort him% !ven at his o$n retirement party& he sat sol'mly staring at the list of highly #ecorate# speakers praising him& an# his gallant cre$2s a#vent'res% Then& the biggest ins'lt of all * the sen# off of the !nterprise B% ?es& they $ere sho$ing him $hat he co'l# never again have% That meant& that he ha# #one the right thing in going #o$n to #eflector control himself * he #i# kno$ $hat $o'l# happen $hen the ship starte# to p'll free from the .e:'s2 grasp%%% he $ent there& alone& e:pecting to #ie% The Star ;leet ensignia on the breast of his shirt beepe# t$ice& an# a voice spoke seemingly from o't of no $here% 3D'ty +fficer to Captain (irk%5 1e snappe# back to reality& an# pa'se# before speaking alo'#% 3(irk here%%%5 .o response& 'ntil s'##enly he hear# again 3D'ty +fficer to Captain (irk& come in please sir%5 3Damn5& he tho'ght% 3,hat $as it that ma#e these things $ork again05 he trie# to remember * he ha# been looking at his ne$ s'rro'n#ings in the ship2s sec'rity office& trying to make sense of the comp'ters an# sensors% Again& the voice broke his train of tho'ght& 3Sir& if yo' $o'l# kin#ly tap the comm'nications pin to respon#%5 the #'ty officer trie# not to so'n# con#escen#ing& b't he $as a b'sy man& regar#less of the a#miration an# a$e he ha# first ha# $hen the legen#ary Captain James Tiberi's (irk first set foot on the ship% (irk s$ore 'n#er his breath& he felt embarrase# that he ha#n2t been paying more attention earlier% 1e tappe# the comm'nicator% 3(irk here%5 he sai# as patiently as possible% 3Goo# evening& Sir5 the #'ty officer sai# respectf'lly% 3A press conference has been set 'p in 6> ;or$ar# for @>:>> ho'rs% Captain Garrovick re7'este# me to personally see that yo' are able to fin# yo'r $ay% Shall I fetch yo' at 6A:BC05 ;etch& the very $or# ma#e him feel as tho'gh this J'nior +fficer $as treating him like a #og& an# he2# be #amne# if he $as going to become Star ;leet2s pri9e# pet in this cent'ry& or any other% 3.o& D'ty +fficer that $ill not be necessary% I2ll fin# my o$n $ay% (irk o't%5 1e tappe# the comm'nicator& hoping that it t'rne# it off the same $ay it t'rne# it on an# $as satisfie# $ith the beeps it ma#e& an# the fact that the D'ty +fficer ma#e no reply% There& he tho'ght& that $ill sho$ them that I still have some fight left in me% 1e got 'p from the be#& smoothe# o't his ne$ 'niform& an# $alke# thro'gh the #oor of his 7'arters% There $ere people b'stling abo't& min#s in their $ork& not even so m'ch as looking at him as they $alke# passe#% 3I <'st hope I haven2t spoken too soon%5 he tho'ght an# took a #eep breath% ,ith that& he chose a #irection an# $alke#& hea# hel# high $ith #etermination an# confi#ence% 1e only stoppe# $hen he finally came 'pon a t'rbo lift% 1e $alke# to$ar# it& an# $ithin a secon# or t$o the #oor opene#& an# close# behin# him% 1e took a secon# to breathe& an# looke# aro'n# for the control panel% .ot seeing one& he spoke alo'#& albeit 'ns're& 36> ;or$ar#05% The t'rbo lift beepe# in ackno$le#gement& an# starte# on it2s $ay% 1e breathe# a sigh of relief& an# reass're# himself that this first s'ccess $as one of many more to come% Closing his eyes& he starte# again on that me#itation of spock2s% DEDEDED

(irk $alke# into 6> ;or$ar#& calm& cool an# confi#ent% As he looke# aro'n# at the many people b'sying aro'n# making preparations for the live broa#cast& he co'l#nFt help b't $on#er $hat all the f'ss $as abo't% S're& to these people& he $as back from the #ea# after nearly => years& b't they never ma#e this m'ch f'ss abo't him $hile he $as alive& an# saving the gala:y% S'##enly& he $ante# no part of these festivities% Looking aro'n# to see if anyone ha# seen him& he sp'n aro'n# on his heel an# ma#e his $ay back to the t'rbo/lift% It opene# $ith a sigh& an# close# again behin# him% 1e smile#% 3.o$& $here to go%5 1e sai# alo'#% 3)lease repeat yo'r #estination%5 sai# the strangely female so'n#ing comp'ter% 3,here $o'l# one go to rela:& or relieve stress aboar# this vessel%5 The comp'ter respon#e# $ith 3There are many forms of rela:ation an# recreation aboar# a Star ;leet vessel%