"Keptin on the bridge!" Chekov announced as the doors to the turbolift slid open and the captain and his first officer entered.

"How's it looking?" Kirk asked, immediately heading towards the large display window.

"We are coming out of warp now," Sulu told him.

The glassy smear of warp speed dissipated, leaving in its wake the massive black ship slicing through space. The stars flickered dimly around it, the colored streaks of a nebula hanging silently in the distance.

Captain Kirk was a man not easily overcome with fear. But as he gazed at the distant space beyond the thick display window, he felt utter terror. There were no words which the captain or the crew could think to describe it. The anomaly appearing before the ship ripped through the black void of space. Captain Kirk thought back to the Narada, but this was no lightning storm. This was a gaping maw that had torn through the fabric of reality itself, only dark, depthless nothing loomed beyond.

"The ...the anomaly," Chekov began slowly. "It appears to growing at an exponential rate. The readings are off the charts, captain."

Spock's gaze was locked outside the display window. "The device is creating a disruption in the space time continuum."

"If it's from the device, can't we just blow it up?"

"That would be unwise. It is likely that the device would release its contained power storage in one instant, causing a cataclysmal event that would have the calculated capabilities to—"

"So we can't just blow it up?!"

Spock looked at the Captain, raising a single eyebrow inquisitively. "No."

Chekov turned in his chair. "Keptin..."

"Chekov?"

"If we were able to disengage the device manually, from within the ship—"

"We can actually shut that thing off?"

Chekov nodded. "Aye, sir! I think I could manage it!"

"We'd have to get inside," Kirk said, looking at the massive ship teetering at the edge of the anomaly.

"Captain, the chances of—"

"Spock! You got a better plan, I'm all ears!"

Spock remained silent, standing like a statue in the middle of the room. "It would appear that is our only option."

"Good," Kirk said, trying to hide his uncertainty. "Then there's no time to waste. Chekov with me." He ordered as he headed towards the turbolift with the young navigator.

He stopped near his first officer, speaking in a low voice. "If this doesn't work..." he glanced back to the display window, swallowing at the fear tightening his throat. "Get everyone the hell out of here. That's an order."

Spock looked into his friend's eyes for a lingering moment before giving a curt nod. "Understood," he responded in an almost human voice.

Captain Kirk met Spock's dark eyes for a quick moment as he stepped into the turbolift. "Let's go save the universe..." he mumbled to himself.
Like the last nail hammered into a coffin, the doors slid shut with a heavy, and final thud.

✵ ✵ ✵

When Captain Kirk and Chekov entered the transporter room, Scotty, Jaylah, and Faaren were already there waiting for them.

"What are you doing here, Scotty?" Kirk asked as he headed onto the transporter platform.

Scotty was leaning over the console, instructing one of the technicians. "Altering the equation to make up for the subspace gravitational distortions," He told the captain, doubling checking the technicians work before slapping him on the back and heading to the transporter platform. "And I'm coming with you captain. Someone's gotta help shut the device down."

Captain Kirk nodded. His gaze dropped to the floor for an instant and he took a deep breath.

It was very likely they were going on a one way trip, and he knew it.

With the heavy shadow of death hanging over him, only one thought came to Captain Kirk's mind.

Bring it on.

"Energize!"