Space Isn't Just Darkness

Chapter Eighteen

Over the next few days, I did my best to avoid Spock. It was as if a cold wall had formed between us.

When we were in meetings, I didn't meet Spock's gaze. When I would go to the mess hall, I would go alone. When he and Jim would speak, I wouldn't.

To make matters worse, Spock had apparently submitted a report of how Jim broke the rules by saving that planet from destruction. Jim had now lost the Enterprise and been demoted from his position as Captain.

At this point, Jim and I both felt betrayed by Spock's cold, emotionless indifference. It was like he didn't mind throwing away his relationships with both of us.

As of now, I was with Jim on an elevator headed up wards. He had a meeting with all of the Captains and first officers because of a bomb attack that left 42 men and women dead. The crime was all over the news as threats of terrisom spiraled into the air.

I parted ways with him at floor seventy-two, where my small office was located,. I then set to finishing up my own paperwork. My hands flitted across the tablet screens and then went back to my personal computer methodically. I worked with dull resignation as my thoughts drifted off to a certain Vulcan.

Suddenly, I was interrupted by the sound of blaster fire and could see bright red flashes just a few floors above. My brows furrowed before I quickly peaked out the window. There was a small, armed ship firing photons into one of the rooms upstairs.

That's where Jim and Spock were!

I didn't hesitate before darting to the stairs and taking them three at a time to get to the level where Jim, Pike, and Spock were. I swung the door to the room open and immediately hitt the floor in order to evade the photon lasers.

I quickly scanned the chaos for Jim and he was thankfully unharmed. But be was dragging someone else out of the line of fire.

It was Pike.

My eyes widened at the sight. I hastily made my way over but was slowed down as a photon grazed my calf. I screamed as I fell to my forearms, but a pair of strong hands kept me from collapsing. I recognized the hands as Spocks as he guided me out of the line of fire.

Spock said something, but I couldn't hear him over the gunfire and the sound of blood pounding in my temples. Adrenaline was surging through my veins as I pushed through the sting pain.

I reached Pike who was slumped against a wall with blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.

"Pike!" I yelled but to no avail. My words were hardly audible over sll the chaos.

I scrambled next to him, inspecting the damage. He'd taken a shot to the chest. His skin was charred and irreversibly damaged. I felt the air catch in my throat at the sight.

He didn't have long.

"Pike no!" I insisted as his bright blue eyes, that I knew so well, began to close.

Spock, on the other hand, put two fingers on Pikes cheek and another on his chin. I was confused as to what he was doing but didn't pay him much attention. I could feel tears welling up in my eyes as my lip began to tremble.

Jim came up right behind me and I could see him crying as well as he looked down at Pike.

I stood up cautiously, the pain in my leg a dull ache, and saw Spock looked at me immediately with concern. He knew how close I was to Pike. Pike was like a father to me. The father I never had.

My chest seemed to collapse, making it hard to breath as I subconsciously stepped back. I took a second step but with my damaged leg and nearly tripped.