Space Isn't Just Darkness

Chapter Eight

I walked back onto the bridge with Spock and we were soon monitoring Jim, Sulu, and Olson's movements.

They were preparing to land on the machine.

I shifted nervously as both Sulu and Jim pulled their shoots. There was a flutter of concern around the bridge as we waited for Olsen to pull his shoot. Then, suddenly, Olsen disappeared from view, his heart monitor showing a flat line.

My eyes widened. A cold feeling settled at my shoulder as he died in such a quick instant. I watched the life monitors closely as Jim's heart rate continued to increase.

Spock was nearby, sitting in the captain chair and received frequent updates on both Jim and Sulu and also what was happening on the Vulcan surface.

Bones came up beside me, he looked equally anxious as he rubbed the side of his arm back and forth and his jaw clenched.

Suddenly, Sulu's trajectory height plummeted, almost as if he'd fallen off of the machine. Mt eyes widened, not moving from the screen.

"Captain, Mr.Sulu has just fallen!" A nearby lieutenant said. "And Mr.Kirk has too!"

Suddenly it felt like I couldn't breathe

"Beam them up!" Bones exclaimed with panic in his words. My eyes met his and the fear in his gaze matched mine. I gripped the side of a control console and my knuckles immediately turned white.

I couldn't see it but Spock's attentive brown eyes looked at me. But it felt like a nauseous ball had just formed in my stomach. My throat tightened to the point where it became difficult to breath.

"Ze' are moving too fast!" Checkov exclaimed. "Ze are moving t-"

Checkov stopped mid sentence, his fingers going still. Then he quickly stood up out of his seat as if having a sudden epiphany.

"I can do zat'! I can do zat'!!" Checkov exclaimed in a rush and ran out of the room. It hesitated for a secondn but I quickly followed out until we came to a panel in the hall near the Engineering office and beaming pad.

Checkov's nimble fingers worked quickly upon the screen and displayed an aerial image of Sulu and Jim both plummeting through the air. My eyes flickered across the screen, thinking that if so long as I could see Jim he would be ok. My heart was thumping rampantly in my chest but I couldn't even feel it. I was holding my breath.

"Just vun' second..... I've got zem'!" The Russian boy exclaimed.

Suddenly, both a winded Sulu and Jim materialized out of thin air and fell onto the floor of the transport pad. The both rolled on the ground, stunned and winded.

A rush of relief washed over me at the sight. I could have kissed Checkov. I was by Jim's side in an instant. I wrapped an arm around his waist before helping him stand.

"Jim! Are you ok?" I asked and helped him to his feet. He stood up shakily a d out of breath.

"Y-yeah, I think so," he replied before walking forward with wobbly knees. "I'm ok."

I checked him over anyway with attentive eyes. His suit was pretty scuffed up and he looked a little roughed up. Jim was coming Doan from of a serious adrenaline rush but was otherwise fine.

Spock suddenly burst into the room. I wiped around to look at him as he strode to the transport pad. 

"Checkov, transport me to coordinates 34.56.21. The elder Vulcans and my mother will be there," He order, quickly as the pad cleared out and I helped my brother to the side.

I starred at Spock for a split second as his words registered.

Was he going down there alone? To a dying plant? No way.