Among the Elite

Delta Vega

The next thing I know I am in a pod, looking up at the cracked shield that serves as a window. I guess it is no surprise that after I elbowed his girl in the face Spock wanted me off his ship. I look around and notice the window to my pod isn't broken, but frozen and the air in the pod is getting colder by the seconds. "Computer, where am I?"

"Location, Delta Vega. Class-M plant. Unsafe. There is a Starfleet outpost 14 kilometers to the northwest. Remain in your pod until retrieved by Starfeet authorities."

"You gotta be kidding me..." I roll my eyes and sigh. I manage to get the pod's door open and it begins to beep, no doubt drawing attention of everything within earshot of me, so now I have to move fast if I don't want to become thing bigger's dinner. I grab the pack that is with me in the pod and begin to free climb the icey crater that the pod created when I landed. Once I reach the top I am met with a barron, icey wasteland. I find a coat, gloves and compass in the bag and start heading northwest. I may not be on the best terms with Starfleet at the moment, but they're the only life forms within at least 14 kilometers that aren't going to eat me. Also in the pack is a recorder, with the wind picking up I don't know if I will survive so I take it upon myself to document what happened, "stardate 2258.42. Or 44. Whatever. Acting Captain Spock has marooned me on Delta Vega, in what I believe to be a violation of Security Protocol 49.09 governing the treatment of prisoners aboard a star..." I stop talking, hearing something new over the howling of the wind around me. I look around hoping to see the dense layers of snow falling all around me.

Soon enough I see what looks like something moving in the distance, but it is gaining ground quickly, it doesn't take me long to realize that the creature is bigger and closer than I originally thought. I turn and run as fast as I can, but unfortunately, that isn't very fast in snow boots with who knows how many inches of snow under my feet. During this chase I feel the ground move under my feet and jump, trying to get as far away from this creature as possible. When I turn, preparing to meet my doom, I see that another larger creature has broken through the ice and snow below and caught the other creature as it was running over it. The second creature is large, bug-like and red, which explains why it was hiding under the ice and snow. But to my surprise the second creature doesn't eat the first, he simply throws the other monster like it is a ragdoll into a nearby ice cap and turns its attention to me, now don't ask me why, but I had not gotten up and continued running by this point, being utterly exhausted.

But while running from this new creature, I look behind me and don't see the large drop off ahead, and gracely fall down the mountain face and the creature does the same. We land on a frozen lake, which makes running even harder. I finally get my bearings and run until I find what looks like a cave. Whatever is in the cave, if anything, has to be better than this thing, so I fearlessly head into the dark snow cave, hoping the creature won't be able to follow me. But the creature, who is ever so desperate for its next meal, forces its way into the cave, smashing through the walls and ceilings as it does. I continue to try to run from the monster, until it uses a tongue like appendage to grab my leg. I pull against the creature with all my might, but I am preparing myself to die. But to my surprise something comes to my aid, a humanoid creature starts to wave a torch at the creature, scaring it off. It isn't until the creature is gone and the begin turns toward me that I realize it is an elderly Vulcan man.

The man looks at me and freezes for a moment before speaking, "James T. Kirk."

I am trying to catch my breath, but this catches me off guard, "excuse me?"

"How did you find me?"

I scramble to my feet, thinking I'm dealing with someone deranged. "How do you know my name?"

"I have been and always shall be your friend."

I chuckle a bit, knowing I have never met this man in my life, "look, I don't know you."