Path: newsspool2.news.atl.earthlink.net!stamper.news.atl.earthlink.net!elnk-atl-nf1!newsfeed.earthlink.net!prodigy.com!news.glorb.com!postnews1.google.com!not-for-mail From: kdj2020@msn.com (Kevin Johnston) Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative Subject: NEW *SAS (TNG/DS9 AU)* "Hopes And Prayers For 2384" 1/1 *PG-13* Date: 21 Oct 2004 14:47:53 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com Lines: 70 Message-ID: NNTP-Posting-Host: 24.24.85.245 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Trace: posting.google.com 1098395273 9744 127.0.0.1 (21 Oct 2004 21:47:53 GMT) X-Complaints-To: groups-abuse@google.com NNTP-Posting-Date: Thu, 21 Oct 2004 21:47:53 +0000 (UTC) Xref: news.earthlink.net alt.startrek.creative:161124 X-Received-Date: Thu, 21 Oct 2004 14:47:54 PDT (newsspool2.news.atl.earthlink.net) Title: Hopes And Prayers For 2384 Author: Kevin Johnston Series: Shadows And Suns, my TNG/DS9 Alternate Universe that now also includes elements of the original series, and of Rob Morris' "Ancient Destroyer" universe. Rating: PG-13, for language and violence Archive: Yes for ASC Feedback: Welcomed at all times. January 2, 2384 "Water, Vulcan, with ice." The liquid sizzled into existence, as Spock reached for the glass, raised it to his lips, and partook of it. Around him, his guest quarters aboard U.S.S. Excalibur, formerly the Enterprise-E. Clad in his meditation robes, the Vulcan moved to stand near the cabin's window, where the planet Earth spun in its orbit beneath them. Still holding the glass, feeling its cold against his hands, Spock stood, deep in thought. The sounds of his mother's clock ticking away filled the room. Though Spock was well aware of his being late for his debriefing with Admiral Picard, he also was quite certain that the admiral would not say so much as a single word. The glass coffee table next to the couch was overflowing with notes of condolences for the passing of Jim Kirk. Each note had been read and answered, each had eased his grief ever so slightly. His PADD was also on the table, filled with appointments, places to be and things to be done. The withdrawal of all Federation, Klingon, and Romulan vessels from Marethan space was to take place in a month's time, and he had volunteered to oversee Starfleet's part of the withdrawal. March held the scheduled renegotiations of the diplomatic agreements between Bajor and the United Federation of Planets, and April was the tentative date for the final retirement of the Enterprise command crew, with a ceremony to take place at Starfleet Command. Three days earlier, he had attended the memorial service for all those killed during the ship's final mission. The service had honored the dead of the Defiant as well, including the deceased Benjamin Sisko. And, of course, he was late for his meeting with Jean-Luc Picard. Placing the glass on the table as he moved away from the window, Spock paused for a moment. Buried under everything else, was something he had forgotten about. Sliding it out and picking it up, he moved to stand by the nearest wall. He raised the calendar to eye-level, and affixed it to the wall. Its first month's picture was a shot taken from the Enterprise's cameras, as she approached the Galactic Barrier. In the upper right-hand corner, handwritten words reminded him of what he had always known so very well. "There are always new tomorrows to behold." It was signed by Amanda Kirk, and had been meant to be her Christmas gift to her beloved "Uncle Jim". She had given it to Spock instead, after learning of Kirk's death. The gift had left him at a loss for words, but he had since thanked the girl for it. New tomorrows, indeed, Spock thought, as he gazed at the picture, and pondered what those tomorrows might bring his way. NewMessage: