Since this is a fanfiction site, I see no need for a disclaimer. The whole site is basically one big disclaimer. However, see my profile if you really want one.

I do use a lot of big words, but it is just the way I think. I often get tired of dumbing down my vocabulary when I speak, so the excess kind of oozes out into my writing. You could complain… but it wouldn't change anything. *smile*

On the subject of this particular fic: as always, no slash. It will be a bit dark, but nothing explicitly explicit, and no OOC-ness. Full line breaks signify significant time or distance skips, while partial line breaks ("~~~") signify smaller skips. Comments are appreciated, preferably with minimum cursing. From this point on, author's notes will be located at the bottom of chapters.

It had been five months since a group of grief-stricken Romulans attacked the planet Vulcan. Five months since most of Starfleet's functional vessels were destroyed in an unsuccessful attempt to stop the Romulans from committing genocide. And five months since a ragtag band of outcasts managed to prevent the Enterprise's destruction, rescue its kidnapped captain, and destroy the enemy vessel.

After narrowly escaping their personal black hole, the Enterprise had limped to the nearest Starfleet station. While the impromptu command staff had intended to stop just long enough for repairs that would allow them to continue on to Earth, after inventorying the damage, a very vocal Scotty was backed up by the station's engineers when he said something along the lines of "Oh, sure, ye could set off to Earth tomorrow. 'Specially if ye fancy havin' a picnic in the vacuum o' space after the ship falls apar' around ye. I hear it's lovely this time o' year."

This effectively dispelled any further complaints.

Beyond the hull fractures and other immediately-obvious damage, the list of necessary repairs included several thousand meters of collapsed Jefferies tubes, life support on nearly a dozen decks, crushed generators in Engineering, severely damaged shuttlecraft that had wreaked havoc sliding around in the cargo bays, and wiring, piping, and panelling throughout the ship.

In addition to the ship's needs, the crew of the Enterprise and their hosts at the station also had to deal with the added burden of the Vulcan refugees, all of whom needed not only food and shelter but also quiet places to meditate. Upon reaching the station, many of the Vulcans fell into healing trances as the shock of life-bonds and familial ties ripped away along with their planet set in. The group's few remaining elders informed the Captain that the only way for their people to recover would be for them to meditate together, each sharing in the wisdom and healing of all their collected fellows.

As soon as the first cargo bay was sufficiently repaired, the captain sealed it off to all but Vulcans. The crew, most of whom were able to empathize with their guests' loss given their own friends' deaths at the hands of the same enemy, supported this idea. The only voice of dissent was that of the CMO, who was often found muttering darkly to himself about "magic," "voodoo," and "Vulcan mumbo-jumbo."

Those who were familiar with his hedgehog-like personality accepted these "complaints" in good grace.

Given the Enterprise's obligatory convalescence, as well as the fact that moving the Vulcans would have been inadvisable given their delicate state, Starfleet conducted their initial inquiry on the station. Captain Pike had woken up in time to rescue the impromptu command crew from the brig, where they had been thrown "pending investigation," and told the investigators in no uncertain terms that they were not to lay another finger on any of his crew or face his wrath.

They avoided all further interactions like the Tarellian plague.

Based on their findings from analysis of interviews, mission logs, recordings, and flight information, Starfleet concluded that all crew members had acted admirably and to the best of their abilities. When Enterprise was finally repaired after two months in the station and was able to fly back to Earth, every crew member was given a commendation and a few crew members - including those on the bridge during the crisis - were given medals and promotions.

Unsurprisingly, the crew had grown close to each other while waiting for repairs to conclude, and the vast majority of them requested to keep their stations on the Enterprise. The newly appointed Captain Kirk personally approved these requests.

And thus came the beginning of an era. Enterprise, the ship of dreams, its crew a hand-selected group of adventurers, young and burdened with glorious purpose, set off between the stars to discover new worlds and new civilizations.

To boldly go where no man has gone before.