Chapter Text
[incoming communication]
[establishing connection]
[receiving message]
Hey, hello?
…
Anybody there? I hope this thing is working.
Spock was just entering his quarters when his PADD chimed, alerting him of an incoming message. He had arranged for communications with his father at 0300 and it was unlikely to be him as his father was often exactly on time. There was no other being he was able to think of that would contact him on his personal device. With this in mind, Spock headed towards his desk and gingerly picked up the PADD to inspect.
The display showed two brief messages from an unknown source. His interest was piqued. How was this stranger able to access his private system? From the second message sent it seemed the sender had doubts the message would get through in the first place. It seemed logical that simply asking for the identity of the sender would be the quickest way to solve this mystery and so Spock quickly replied.
I have received your message. Who is this?
I probably should have opened with that. It’s just kind of a miracle someone received my signal and I got distracted. I’m Kirk, James Kirk. I am, well… I was an ensign aboard the starship Enterprise.
With a raised eyebrow, Spock read the starships name with interest. The USS Enterprise was hailed as the most advanced ship in Starfleet. Spock noted with interest that the cadet had correct himself, claiming to be on the ship in past tense. What could have happened to the Enterprise?
Ensign Kirk, is there an explanation for your unasked for communications?
Believe me, I don’t go messaging randos for fun.
The Enterprise was en route to Aldebaran II, everything was fine, Captain Pike finally let me on the bridge again after- well, that’s a story for a different time. But then… well, I don’t know.
Something was messing with the ship's functions and we had to separate the saucer from the rest of the ship before the entire thing crashed.
We crashed on some moon. No clue where.
Fascinating. Are you certain you do not know where you have landed?
It’s daytime right now so looking at the stars is out of the question. I’m sure this isn’t any moon in the solar system we came from.
The astromap is in the Enterprise, obviously, which I can see in the distance. The giant plumes of smoke are some handy landmarks.
He should report this to Starfleet. This was out of his jurisdiction, especially being a member of the Vulcan Science Academy. The ship he was aboard, the Jellyfish, was simply a scientific research vessel. It was a small crew of science officers and completely unequipped to stage a rescue mission, if the thought would ever be entertained. He put the thought aside for now to reply to Ensign Kirk’s message. He did not want the ensign to lose hope of communication.
What is your current physical status?
Is this your way of asking if I’m okay? Who talks like that?
I am, by the way. Okay. I’m totally alone with nothing but a useless pod in the middle of a desert-like moon but the bright side is I’m not a mangled corpse.
Thanks for asking.
My way of speaking is optimized to convey my intentions in the clearest possible form. It is pleasing to know you are not grievously injured.
What are you, a Vulcan?
Your assumption is correct. I am S’chn T’gai Spock, currently aboard the VSA vessel Jellyfish.
Woah, what? Why did Vulcan’s name their ship Jellyfish? With the stick you all have up your asses I thought it’d be a more science-y name.
The decision behind the name of our vessel is irrelevant. We are veering off topic and I do not believe you are at a point in time wherein that would be wise. Where are you located on the moon's surface?
Bumfuck nowhere. It’s reminding me of Iowa. Maybe it’ll remind you of Vulcan.
I was on the bridge when it happened, but I was one of the first to get in an escape pod. Uhura shoved me in and went off to help the others. I think she was just excited to see me gone.
I still don’t know her first name… Fuck, I hope I’ll still have the chance.
I blacked out while I was in the pod. It’s lame, I know. I’m telling you this in confidence. You’re sworn to secrecy! Bone’s would never let me live it down.
Humor was often a way humans distracted oneself from a dire situation, Spock reminded himself. It was one of the leading reasons Spock found human’s hard to comprehend. Throughout current communications Ensign Kirk was displaying a constant changing shift between distress and humour. Thinking of his mother, Spock came to the conclusion he must stay in contact with the ensign in order to provide the emotional support necessary. Human’s can be very fragile, Spock noted, and do not take well to being alone.
Right now the most efficient course of action would to help Ensign Kirk find shelter. Once he is secured it would be imperative to contact Starfleet. Spock entertained the idea that they might already know. Surely the Enterprise would have sent a distress signal. It’s possible the signal that caused the crash would have also blocked any distress calls. Deciding to prepare for all possibilities, Spock readied a priority one to Starfleet.
Switching back to his conversation with the ensign, Spock considered two options. He could ask about any of the two assumed crewmates mentioned, Uhura or “Bones”. It would be the emotional response, fostering a sense of camaraderie, though ultimately provide no useful information. A more informational inquiry would be useful in assessing the course of action needed to be taken to finding shelter.
In the end, survival won over comfort.
Earlier you claimed the moon’s surface reminded you of Vulcan. Are you able to provide me with a more informative description?
Let me just get real intimate with these rocks. Yup, yup. Dusty. Dry. The ground is cracked. There's a white peak in the distance.
Looking at it closer… it doesn’t look natural. Too symmetrical. The tricorder says the peak is in the northeast.
South and southwest are the directions of the smoking mess of our ship. I’m assuming the saucer broke in half. Ouch. The crash site is closer than the peak, which is great, right?
I am apt to agree. It would be wise to check the ruins for other nearby escape pods, in addition to medical and survival supplies.
Fingers crossed. Bones was on the bridge patching up Sulu after he got fried when the navigation board fritzed. So, uh, hopefully his medical supplies are still laying around.
Off I go. Southward. Rough estimate, but it should take me about an hour to get there.
[Kirk is busy]
Closing out of the screen, Spock allowed himself to slump in his chair a fraction of an inch. In the next moment he reopened the priority one message and sent it. It included a transcription of all relevant information Ensign Kirk had revealed to him. There was nothing left to do now but wait. The entire encounter had only taken half an hour. In another half hour Sarek would call him. He sent a short message informing Sarek he was unable to speak with him at this time, he did not want the call to intersect with his communications to Ensign Kirk.
Standing and straightening his uniform, Spock pocketed his PADD before exiting his quarters. An hour would give him just enough time to review his recent experiments.