(Just Like) Starting Over
by Rob MorrisVERIDIAN III, 2371
"Did we do it---make a difference?"
"Oh, definitely. Soran zigged when he should have zagged. In fact, not z--ing at all might have been a good idea, so far as he was concerned."
"How do I---HACK!!--look?"
"You---? Great, wonderful. In fact, you're driving."
The dying Captain Of The Enterprise laughed at the strained diversionary humor of his counterpart.
"Don't---try and kid--a kidder. Hey, it was fun, ya know?"
Desperately, the hero tried to keep his new friend conscious--not to mention alive.
"Just--just hang on. We'll get some help, and you'll be wowing em' on Orion before you know it."
"I--don't see that happening, do you?"
"DO NOT die on me, here. I owe you. You---saved my life. I don't know about you, but I happen to like living it."
"Hey, its the least I could do for the--HACK---of Trapper John----"
Then, he was gone. A born survivor, done in by some jagged metal and a hard impact. Add to that a wrecked Enterprise, and Veridian III was rapidly losing its charm. The one left behind saw a pile of rocks, and started to move them. He then stopped, and looked at his friend.
"What am I, nuts? A dog deserves better than this."
Gingerly, he picked up his new friend's body.
"AAaahhgghh!!! Reminder--have back checked--along with head."
A transport picked the pair up, and a greener-than-green pilot kept looking back at the living and the dead.
"Something I can do for you, Ensign?"
"Sorry, sir. But---you're--well, you're You!!"
"Nah, I'm not me. I'm a transporter accident from the Mirror Universe. I haven't been me for quite some time. Took too much effort--and it always demanded a price."
At the wreckage of The Enterprise-D, he walked off the transport with his burden in tow. The crew's reactions were predictable. First Officer Gates stared dumbly at the dead body. A man wearing some kind of visor looked it over, then sat and cried. A tall blonde who was both CMO and Counselor leaned on Gates for strength. A Klingon woman howled in traditional mourning. Lastly, Data, the android creation of the late Doctor Stanley Riverside, was now wondering why he had ever wanted emotions in the first place. Gates asked the obvious.
"Sir? Is he really..."
"Dead? Yeah. Sorry. I tried."
"Are you really----"
"Yep. Exhausted. You nailed it."
Gates grabbed him, and almost shook him.
"Don't play with me! You can't just walk back here holding the dead body of----"
"Hold up--Gonzo, is it? You think I enjoy this? Any of this? Trapper's Dad was one of my best friends! Look, your Captain is dead. It happens. It sure as hell happened to me. TJ here gave his life to stop Soran. It should have been me, damn it!"
Hawkeye started to shake.
"Itttt---should--have been----but it never is. Oh, God! Someone take him, please."
Brank went to hold the only human who could call her coward and live. At least, she brooded, he died well.
"A cot--a bunk---anything."
As Captain Pierce collapsed from exhaustion, a million questions were put off, and grief flowed freely among all the crew.
ONE YEAR LATER - USS ENTERPRISE-E
"Hey, Gonzo? You okay with this?"
"At first, no. But I've heard tell you were a good teacher. At least, that's what Captain MacIntyre always said. You owe me, Hawkeye, for not bringing my CO back with you. So you better not welch."
Captain Pierce smiled.
"Me? Never! Your Captain's dad--now there was a welcher."
"Right."
Gates walked over to (Starch?)
"Counselor, any opinions?"
"Well, our vintage Captain was disappointed to find out that the communal refreshers were done away with, but I think, Gonzo, that we're in for a ride."
Captain Benjamin Franklin 'Hawkeye' Pierce stared up at the roof of the bridge.
"Madam, would you like to dance a third marathon? Good. I knew two of your older sisters. Sturdy. And beautiful, like you."
Data asked a question of his visored friend ( Meatball? Animal? Damn my forgetfulness ).
"To what lady is the Captain speaking?"
"Easy, Data. He's talking to the Enterprise."
Starting Over, a great crew with a great Captain sailed forward to start a new legend. Since they had no sails handy, though, they used the warp drive.