EARTH, SAN FRANCISCO, 2294
He kept to the background. This was already a sad enough occasion, and he hadn't really known the deceased at all, a hazard of his present condition. On occasion, though, he would acknowledge the people who did know him.
"How are you holding up, son?"
"Fine, Doctor. He--always tried to prepare me for this eventuality. Maybe it will all hit later. I don't know."
"You hold your composure well. Better than I myself am currently able to do. By the way, this is my ward."
"I don't know that I'm doing all that well, Captain Spock. I mainly feel detached from this whole spectacle. Like its not happening on some level. Greetings to You, Lieutenant Commander. I bid thee Live Long And Prosper."
"Sure this has finished me up, lad. I'm fer Norpin, and permanent retirement. Heh. Care to join me?"
"No thank you, Captain. I have three major projects, upcoming. But I'll take your couch, on the odd occasion."
"I vill give heem the highest tribute possible---for Russia never inwented anyone like the Keptin."
"I've only really known one other even remotely like him, Commander."
"Myself, I always said, better to die in his shadow than thrive in most others' light. He often spoke of you--quite lovingly."
"That's odd, Captain Sulu. Because I was going to say the same thing about all of you. More than myself, you all were his family."
"You really do look like him. I must look a mess. Guess that crush is gone, to see me now."
"Gone? Lady, who do you think bought up all the Galactinet pictures of your fan dance on Nimbus 3?"
She squeezed his cheek.
"Work on the humor, kid. And call, alright? It'll be almost like hearing his voice again. To me, that voice meant safety and fun in one package."
"Yes, Mo--Yes, Maam!"
He breathed as Uhura left. She had been the closest call of all, but he had seen it through. Now, all he had to do was get through the funeral. He looked around, thankful that Janice Rand, Christine Chapel, and Carol Marcus were nowhere in evidence.
He sat straight as a ramrod, determined that the best picture possible be presented to the swooping media. He wasn't Starfleet, so he could disappear afterwards, with no one who could order him to stick around. The funeral was long, and somber, all the more so because it none of it had to occur. He fought down his conspiracy-seeking nature, though, and exited quietly after the services were done. He would meet his 'ride'--hopefully soon--and all would be well.
But someone with an agenda was lying in wait.
"Smell that breath! Ahh, sure yer a Kirk! Yer own Uncle's funeral, and ye've had not a drop of the hard stuff. Petey, me boyo, yer almost as big a stiff as Jimmy. Cept of course, he's completely stiff, now! aHaAaHAHA!!"
Peter Kirk nodded.
"Admiral Finnegan, sir, I really have to go. I'm meeting some friends, after this, to help me--er, out of this situation."
Finnegan shook his head.
"No, no. You see, I have just pulled the greatest masterpiece joke of all time, and I have a braggard's need, you see."
Peter rolled his eyes.
"Go right ahead, Admiral. By all means."
Finnegan grinned.
"Wellll, don't you see? I get a disaster-magnet like Jimmy up on an unprepared ship, knowing that something will come up. Its beautiful, doncha think?"
The younger man shook his head.
"Sir--did you just confess to murdering Captain Kirk?"
"Me? All I did was grease up the cliffside and know that Jimmy would wander too close to the edge. Now, that's actually prosecutable—but you'll never prove it. I've Harriman and Morrow sewn up tightly on this. Guess its me gets the last laugh, eh? Oh, and all of Jimmy's talkative cronies will find themselves in like circumstances. A really good joke needs follow-through."
Peter knew that certain actions were wrong. But the ability to influence events is sometimes a powerful temptation.
"Boyo--I said, I got the last laugh, right?"
Peter picked up Finnegan bodily before a stunned assemblage. More than Kirk's crew, he wanted and got the attention of Harriman and Morrow.
"No, Admiral, I don't believe you did."
"Put me dow----"
But rather, Peter hurled him up--not high enough to be unseen, but still really high. The young man pulled his arms down, and flexed. As he did, energies built around him and the ground began to shake. Finnegan began to descend, and as he did, screaming all the while, Peter Kirk shouted out some odd phrases.
"Good Luck, murderer--In The Next Dimension!"
Peter raised one arm up, and unleashed a torrent of energy that seemed to obliterate the vicious prankster.
"KAI-O-KEN!!!"
Harriman and Morrow gathered themselves quickly.
"We--we-we-wish to make a statement to the press, concerning certain conspiratorial actions we took at the behest of Admiral Finnegan...then we want to go to jail."
Quietly, a portal opened, and a group of young people walked through. Captain Spock's ward stared at one of them, a duplicate of herself.
Saavik Kirk shrugged at her.
"What?"
Walking over to the Peter Kirk he knew, Wesley Crusher bypassed the Peter Kirk whose transport had been delayed, and who was just as confused as Captain Kirk's crew. Crusher looked up at the diminishing energies.
"I can't take you anywhere, can I?"
Will Robinson shook his head, upon hearing what happened.
"Pete--he may have been scum--but to murder him like that?"
Peter Kirk smiled.
"I didn't kill anybody, Will. I just sent him to the next dimension, like I said."
Penny Robinson watched the frenzied replay the media offered.
"Good thing for Smith that Don didn't have any powers."
One and all the travelers left, to resume their journey upon The Infinite Paths.
-----------------------------------------
THE NEXT DIMENSIONFinnegan landed with a thud, outside a ranch house he did not recognize. With nothing broken, he got up and yelled out.
"Security! Where is everybody? Where's my personal guard?"
The deposed CIC looked around, screaming as he did.
"Alright, Peter Kirk--where in the hell are you? I am gonna pound you into dog meat, you less-than-plebe! Oh, PETEY KIRK!!!!"
A voice that chilled Finnegan's bones rang out. It was a voice he knew. The man was holding an axe, and his grin said he was ready to use it.
"Petey Kirk's not here, Seanie! But..."
He twirled the axe with glee.
"HEREEE'S JIMMMMYY!!!!"
All in all, Finnegan did not enjoy his stay in The Nexus in the slightest. Captain Kirk, on the other hand, now enjoyed it a great deal more.