Into Darkness and Beyond (Star Trek: Into Darkness Fanfiction - sequel to AKFAS)

Chapter 10

Kirk woke with a start when his communicator began demanding his attention, buzzing on the table beside the bed. Kez groaned against his chest, moving her weight so he was free to silence the communicator.

"Yeah?" He asked, rubbing his eyes and pulling the sheets further up so Kez wouldn't get cold from the cool air in the apartment.

"Jim!" Scotty's voice was loud enough to stir Kez again who rolled over to watch and listen to the conversation, suddenly wide awake and alert.

"Jim, I searched the wreckage of the jump ship. You aren't gonna believe what I found. You need to get here right away."

Kez held Kirk's hand tightly as they ported to the site of carnage that showed the events of the night before. The day was crisp, a clear blue sky and lazy sunlight that bathed everything in a yellow hue. Teams of workers were clearing away rubble, glass and metal from the street, some pieces significantly bigger than others. Repairs were being carried out on the conference room from what Kez could see as she shielded her eyes against the sun as she peered up to the eighteenth floor which had been reduced to a gaping hole in the side of the building. The wreckage of the mangled jump ship was being hauled away.

"There he is." Kirk broke the silence between them, gesturing to the building's undamaged entrance where Montgomery Scott was stood, clutching a piece of debris in his arms.

"Please tell me you have a good lead on what the hell happened here last night," Kirk said as they approached Scotty who hefted the piece of metal in a way that made it more visible to both Kez and Kirk. Although mangled and damaged, even slightly scorched, Kez could still make out where individual components were, some of which were still intact.

"This was recovered from the jump ship." Scotty explained the lump of metal, "No one really knew what it was but as soon as I saw it, I had a pretty good idea."

Kirk cocked his head to one side, "So what is it?"

"If I'm right, we are looking at the remains of a portable transwarp beamin' device." He should have been impressed but instead, he looked sullen.

"How on earth did he get that?" Kez studied the lump of metal.

"That's the true question, lass." Scotty mused, shifting the weight of the device in his arms.

"Is there a memory on this thing that can give us some indication as to where the mad bastard went?" Kirk asked, his eyes sparkling with the prospect of vengeance.

"Already looked, and you're not going to like it." He cradled the device to show them both a simple number:

2314-3456

Scotty had been right, Kirk did not like that at all.