The Death of Captain Christopher Pike

STAR TREK THE ORIGINAL SERIES:

THE DEATH OF CAPTAIN CHRISTOPHER PIKE

By Ed Reilly

Beneath a large weeping willow tree that was poised beside a gentle flowing river, a

lone mourner stood before the grave of a loved one. Slowly, the lamenter knelt and began

to whisper to the deceased.

"I've never been very good with words, but I guess you know that. Over the time we

spent here together we never needed to talk all that much. All we had to do was feel

the other's presence. Before I met you all I ever felt was loneliness. You relieved that.

Then you allowed me feel other emotions; affection, love, happiness, and then the best,

and most cruel, of them all... tranquillity. I wish now you had never opened me up to

those feelings...

"I miss you. I miss you so much it is like a physical pain inside me. Your presence is

gone, and all I have now is the loneliness and despair that plagued me before we met.

You were what made this place real to me. Without you it is merely a cage. A well

intentioned, but sad and lonely, cage.

"I don't know what to do without you. I'm not sure I can go on. Before you came into

my life I was ready to throw everything away. That same feeling keeps creeping back into

my mind now. I know you would tell me to go on. To keep living life the same way I did

when you were here, but it's impossible. It's impossible because there is no more you.

Not even the Talosians, for all their abilities, could keep the powers that run this cruel

universe from taking you from me. Still I treasure the time we had together, and I always

will, my love."

The lonely mourner then put his head in his hands, and began to cry.

********************

A walk along a wind swept beach. That is how Christopher Pike spends most of his

mornings since the death of Vina. The gentle pounding of the surf tends to clear his

mind. He thinks of the events that brought him to this place in his life, and what, if

anything, he can do with his future. This is the only time of the day when his

hopelessness is lifted for a short time.

About 100 meters ahead Pike noticed the Keeper. The Talosian who handles the

majority of the communication between his people and the human.

"Good morning," yelled Pike as he approached the Talosian.

"And greetings to you, Captain," was the Keeper's telepathic reply.

"Please," urged the human, "call me Chris, or Christopher if you prefer. After all this

time, you have earned that much."

"Of course," said the Talosian, a vein in his forehead throbbing. "I come bearing

news. We have received a message from your home planet. Recent med-"

Pike interrupted, "A message? From Earth?" He was shocked to say the least. He had

almost forgotten that their was life outside of Talos IV, and for certain he had thought that

everyone had forgotten about him. "You're telling me that someone wanted to get in

touch with me so bad that they disregarded General Order Seven?"

"If you will allow me to finish," politely answered the Keeper with a nod of his head.

"The transmission contained information on recent medical breakthroughs that could

nullify your disability."

"Nullify my disability?" skeptically asked Pike. He did not like being reminded of his

impediment. "The physical damage, maybe. But the damage to my brain? I was, I am,

practically a vegetable. All I can do is move that cart back and forth, and use that

ridiculous light to communicate."

"You underestimate your abilities, Christopher." The Talosian told the Captain. "The

very fact that you are able to receive and understand our illusions proves that you still

have highly developed cognitive brain function."

"Could it be?" Asked Pike more to himself than the Keeper.

"The message asks if you would like medical personnel to come and perform a new

and experimental procedure on you. If successful you would not need this planet, or our

illusions, any longer."

The idea both excited and saddened Pike. On the one hand it would mean leaving the

Talosians behind. The people who saved him from the dreadful fate of life trapped inside

of a black box, of life trapped inside of his own mind. But the Talosians were not his

people. He could not truly relate or even comprehend them. The bottom line was, with

Vina gone, he was alone, alone and miserable.

"Did this message say who would be performing this 'procedure'?" Pike asked.

"Yes," responded the Keeper. "The two doctors who will perform the surgery will be

Phillip Boyce and Leonard McCoy. They would be arriving on the ship you commanded,

the Enterprise."

Hearing that made the Captain smile. "Tell them to come if they would like, but I

want all the facts before I make a final decision."

For the first time in a long time, Christopher Pike had something to look forward to.

********************

Pike was out riding his horse, Tango, trying to clear his head. It had been some time

since he gave permission for the Enterprise to come for him, and the waiting was

becoming unbearable. A slew of questions invaded his mind constantly, questions that he

had no answer for.

It was then that Pike and Tango came galloping into the imaginary stable, and saw

Doctor Boyce, Mister Spock, Doctor McCoy, and Captain Kirk standing with the Keeper.

So overjoyed he was that he jumped off the horse almost before it came to a halt.

The first to greet him was Boyce. "Chris!" He exclaimed.

Pike ran up to his former chief medical officer and embraced him. "Phil, it's good to

see you, old man!"

"I've been waiting a long time for this moment," proclaimed Boyce.

The former Captain of the Enterprise then exchanged handshakes and friendly

hellos with Kirk and McCoy. Then he came to Spock. "It is good to see you again,

Commander," he said, as he placed a hand on the Vulcan's shoulder. He wanted to tell

Spock how grateful he was for the risks the Vulcan took in getting him to Talos IV, but

no words would come to him. Finally, he thought of something. "Thank you, Spock."

The rush of feelings Spock experienced made him feel noticeably uncomfortable. It

took a moment for him to respond. "I am pleased to see you as well, Captain, but you

need not express your gratitude. Every action I took during that period was based in

logic."

Pike knew that was not the case, but decided not to embarrass his friend. Instead he

turned to the Keeper. "Are they really here? Are they real?"

"They are as real as you or I, Christopher," answered the Talosian.

"It has been awhile since I have experienced anything that is real," Pike told his

fellow Starfleet officers. "Vina died a few months ago, or maybe it's been a few years.

You lose all track of time around here."

All were saddened by the news, and Kirk spoke for the group. "I'm sorry Chris. I

don't think any of us can imagine what your going through."

There was nothing but silence for a moment, then Pike decided to change the subject.

"So tell me about this 'procedure', Doctors."

It was Bryce who spoke first. "I've been working on this since the day after your

accident, Chris. It's taken over twenty years, bu-"

Pike couldn't help but interrupt. "Wait a minute. Twenty years? Is that how long I've

been here?"

"Twenty years, four months, and eleven days, Captain," Spock answered.

For a moment all Pike could do was stare at the ground while the enormity of the

information sunk in. He then signaled for Boyce to continue.

"The damage to your brain does not affect how you think or react to stimuli. In that

manner you still function normally. The problem is that your brain is unable to transmit

this information to your body."

Pike nodded his head. "I'm with you, Doc."

As Boyce continued he could not keep the excitement out of his voice. "What I have

developed is electronic implants. The main implant will be placed directly below your

medulla oblongata, and then smaller 'receivers' will be placed throughout your body. The

main implant will read your brain functions and send the commands to the appropriate

body part."

"This does sound fascinating, Phil," proclaimed Pike, "but I'm a little apprehensive.

You will, in essence, be putting a computer in my brain." He then began to laugh. "I can

remember an old freighter captain I met in a bar one night. He told me stories about a

race of beings that had implants, such as the ones you describe, throughout their entire

bodies. He said they were more machines than living beings."

"Yes, Chris," replied Boyce, "but that is only folklore. This is a chance for you to

re-enter the universe, the real universe. To be productive."

Pike was ecstatic, but he did not let the happiness show on his face for the simple

reason that it all seemed to good to be true. "And the injuries to the rest of my body?"

"That is where I come in, Captain," McCoy told Pike. "Your physical injuries are all

rather minor. The reason why they were not taken care of before was because it served no

purpose to put you through anymore discomfort." He then added, "I can even take care of

the burn marks throughout your body."

"How long until I'm back to normal?" Pike asked.

"Realistically," began Boyce, "you'll never get back to one hundred percent, but the

preliminary research shows that, with intense therapy, you could regain seventy-five to

eighty percent of mobility within one year."

"You're never going to run a marathon, Captain," stated McCoy, "but I'm willing to

bet you could ride a horse again." The doctor then corrected yourself. "A real horse,

that is."

Doctor Boyce then continued. "The surgery will be performed on the Enterprise

while in orbit of Talos IV. This way, if the surgery is not successful, we can transport you

back here."

Pike then looked Boyce directly in the eyes. "What if I die on the table?"

The Doctor returned the intense glare. "We're not going to let that happen."

There was nothing but silence for a moment after that, and Kirk decided it would be a

good moment for him to speak. "You will be back in space, Chris. Back aboard the

Enterprise."

In his heart Christopher Pike knew that he had to go through with it, but before he

could say anything he had to talk to someone first. "I need to speak with the Keeper,

alone"

The four visitors walked out of the stable, and gave Pike and the Talosian their

privacy.

"I know you allowed me to come here because of my condition," Pike told the

Keeper, "but I also know that you needed me. You needed Vina and myself to show you

how to live, to teach you how not to destroy one another."

The veins in the Keepers forehead squiggled. "Yes, Christopher, that is correct."

"I think you still need me."

"I respectfully disagree. Seeing Vina and you interact over time has showed us much.

It has been our honor to serve you, but we are prepared to live without you."

"Are you saying that because you mean it, or because you know it is what I want to

here?" Asked Pike.

"It is true," explained the Keeper, "that we have learned much about humans, and

about how to interact peacefully with one another, but you have an opportunity to live a

full life again. We would not ask you to sacrifice that which humans hold so dear."

Pike smiled. He owed a lot to these people. "There is no way I could ever show you

my appreciation."

It took a moment for the Talosian to respond. "Yes, there is."

********************

On the surface of Talos IV, Captain Pike stood along with his four fellow Starfleet

officers and the Keeper.

"This could very well be the last time we see one another," Pike told the Talosian.

"Good luck to you, Christopher," telepathically replied the Keeper.

Pike wanted to touch the Talosian in some way, a handshake, or a pat on the shoulder,

but he decided not to. The Keeper knew how he felt, and that would have to be enough.

Instead he turned to Kirk and told him that he was ready to go.

"Keeper," said Kirk to the Talosian, "you are going to have to take it from here."

And with a thought, the Talosian transported the officers onto the bridge of the

Enterprise.

At first, Pike refused to open his eyes. This was the part that he was dreading. The

part that made this whole thing almost not worth it. But he finally found the courage to

look, and he hated what he saw. He was sitting in the all too familiar black box that had

been his prison twenty years earlier. It took no time at all for the feeling of powerlessness

to engulf him.

McCoy wasted no time in scanning Pike with a tricorder. "The chair seems to be

functioning fine," he proclaimed. "Are you all right, Captain?"

Not at all, Pike wanted to say, but his vocal cords would not respond. Instead he

responded with one blink of his light.

"Were going to take you to sickbay and prep you for surgery, Chris," Boyce told him.

Make it quick, Pike thought to himself as the two Doctors lead him into the turbolift.

Before the doors could close, Pike took a moment to eye the bridge. It had been his

first time seeing it in well over twenty years, and, in that time, he noticed it really had not

changed that much. The part of himself that lived for the thrill of commanding a starship

was aflame, but then he remembered all the stress that command also brought with it.

Deciding who gets to live, and who gets to die. Still, he found that he missed it.

Neither Doctor spoke during the ride on the turbolift, and Pike filled the silence with

his own thoughts. There was times on Talos, after Vina was gone, when he wondered if

life with the Talosians was really all that different than life in his chair. Both were cages

in their own way. Sure, he got to live out his fantasies on Talos, but couldn't he do the

same in the chair as well? Isn't the imagination its own fantasy world? Someplace where

you could lose yourself?

Pike never got to finish his thought. The turbolift doors opened and the Doctors

quickly walked him into sickbay.

"Sedate him while we scrub for surgery, Christine," ordered McCoy.

Nurse Chapel grabbed a hypospray and walked over towards Pike.

I don't believe it! thought Pike. If she only had dark hair, instead of blonde, she

would look exactly like Number One. She could be her twin.

That was Pike's last thought as Chapel injected him, and his world turned to black.

********************

"Can you hear me, Chris?" Lightly asked Boyce. "Concentrate on my voice."

Pike opened his drowsy eyes to see the aged face of his friend standing over him.

"The surgery went well," continued Boyce. "No complications."

Still somewhat sedated, Pike began to remember where he was and what was

happening.

"Talk to me, Chris," said Boyce. "Tell me how you feel."

He wants me to talk to him, Pike thought. Is that possible?

"Try it, Captain," urged Doctor McCoy, who was standing at the foot of the bed.

The first thing Pike attempted was opening his mouth, and, to his amazement, he

succeeded. Then he tried to tell the Doctors that he was in pain, but all that came out was

some grunts and moans.

Boyce smiled. "That's a good sign. With some practice you'll be barking out orders in

no time."

McCoy then made another request. "Wiggle your toes for me."

It took a few seconds, but Pike began to move his toes. Just the big toe on his right

foot at first, then all of them.

Boyce's face beamed with satisfaction. "Now your fingers, Chris."

Again, it took a few moments, but he was able to move them all.

"Your on your way back, Chris," proclaimed Boyce. "Things are only going to get

better from here."

********************

- Captain Christopher Pike's Personal Log

This is the first time I have made any type of log entry in well over twenty

years. Both Doctor Boyce and McCoy have told me that it would be a good

idea to document my experiences now that I'm back in the real world, and I

have obviously decided to follow there advice.

We are two weeks into our three week journey to Starbase 153, where Phil

and I will depart and continue my rehabilitation. According to the doctors, my

therapy is going extremely well. They tell me that I have already regained fifty

percent of my motor functions, and, I am very proud to say, that I am getting

around without use of "the chair".

The scars from my burns are gone, and physically I am in only in minimal

pain. However, it is difficult to look at myself in the mirror. Gone is the

healthy look of an active middle aged man, and in its place is an aging

white haired stranger. Better than the monstrosity that was stuck in that dismal

black chair, but still a far cry from the man who commanded this very vessel I

am on now. I suppose though that I need to look at this positively, there is plenty

of time to get to know this "new" me.

Also, over these last two weeks, I have discovered exactly how much I have

missed being in space. On Talos IV I always thought I would never get to see

it again, so I never gave it much thought. I was in love with Vina, and Captain

Christopher Pike was dead to me. Now it is just the opposite. I loved Vina with

all my heart, but her and the Talosians are gone. They have been replaced by my

old life. A life I desperately needed a break from, but a life I am now ready to

fully rediscover. Command is in my blood. It is part of who I am, and I want to

experience it again. I want to live life on a Starship again.

Tonight I am having dinner with Captain Kirk and Mister Spock. I plan on

discussing this further with both of them.

********************

"This is good bourbon, Jim. Where did you get it?" asked Pike.

"It was a gift from the good Doctor McCoy," answered Kirk as he filled his glass.

"It comes from a place on Earth called Kentucky," added Spock. "The Doctor

considers himself an expert on that regions production of alcohol."

Pike couldn't help but laugh at the irritation in Spock's voice. "My father took me to

Kentucky once when I was a kid, Louisville. We went to see the Kentucky Derby."

"Yes," proclaimed Spock, "an equestrian race that Doctor McCoy is so very fond of."

"I can remember my father telling me," continued Pike, "Kentucky was known for its

good bourbon, fast horses, and pretty woman."

Spock still could not keep the annoyance out of his voice. "Why humans feel the need

to mount these animals, and then force them to participate in what is a rather barbaric

race, is beyond me."

Kirk attempted to explain it to his friend. "Since the beginning of human civilization

we have strived to harness the power of these noble creatures. I suppose it will always be

a part of us."

"Logic would dictate that, as humanity evolved, such uncivilized pastimes would

cease," said Spock. "I do not understand."

And Spock would not understand anytime soon, so Captain Kirk decided to change

the subject. "I can't get over how quickly you have recovered your vocal functions,

Chris."

"Phil says I have the Talosians to thank for that," said Pike. "They convinced my mind

that I actually was speaking all those years, so my neural pathways constantly remained

active. It has made things a lot easier."

"The same is most likely true for your progression physically," added Spock.

"My movements are still sluggish, sometimes I appear to be absolutely robotic, but it

is better than being in that chair."

Kirk finished taking a sip of his drink. "I can't imagine what that was like."

The look on Pike's face turned somber. "Picture yourself watching a play. You are in

the audience, and the story unfolds in front of you." Pike stopped for a moment as he

took a drink. "Now imagine that you are always watching a play, but the play is real

life, your life, and everything around you has a direct affect on you And you are

powerless to do anything about it. Mentally, emotionally, you are the same person that

you are now, but you are helpless."

"It is not a fate that I would wish upon anyone," said Spock. It was a declaration of his

empathy for his former Captain. Only in the company of his friends would he admit

such a thing.

Pike then removed his solemn look, and replaced it with enthusiasm. "But I am back,

Spock. Do you think Starfleet could still use this old man."

"I am certain that Starfleet has a position open for you, Captain," answered Spock.

"I can picture you teaching at the Academy, Chris," added Kirk. "lecturing kids on the

correct ways to make first contact."

"Standing in front of a classroom full of cadets is not what I had in mind," proclaimed

Pike, with almost a defiant sound to his voice. "I was thinking more of command."

Kirk and Spock traded quizzical looks.

"Chris," stated a rather surprised Kirk, "do you really think you will be up for it

physically? You, better than anyone, know the demands that command brings."

Pike was insulted by the comment. "I am a Starfleet captain, Jim. That never leaves

you. The ability to make quick decisions, to surround yourself with the best people, to

delegate authority, to know the strengths and weaknesses of your enemy, I can do that."

He then eyed both his colleagues and decided to lessen the anger in his voice just a bit. "I

know it is not going to be easy, but it is my job to overcome obstacles. Is it not?"

Sirens signaling red alert went off before anyone could answer.

Kirk immediately struck the communication button on his desk. "Bridge, report!"

Sulu quickly responded. "There appears to be an anti-matter leak inside the port

nacelle, Captain. You better get up here."

"I'll be there in a moment, Sulu," said Kirk as he closed the comm link. He then

turned to Pike. "Were going to have to reschedule dinner, Chris."

"Is there anything I can do?" was Pike's reply.

"Stay here, and keep yourself safe." answered Kirk. "I don't have to tell you how

dangerous a leak like this can be."

As Kirk and Spock exited the room, Pike could see the commotion happening in the

corridor, people yelling, crewman racing to their posts. He knew it was something

serious.

There it is again, he thought to himself, That same helpless feeling. He couldn't

help but still think of the Enterprise as his ship, and, if it were in trouble, he needed to

do something about it.

"Computer," he shouted to the air, "Keep a comm line open to this room. I want to

here what is going on throughout the entire ship."

"Comm link open," responded the computer's artificial voice.

The next thing Pike heard was the screaming voice of Commander Scott. "Shutdown

the anti-matter flow into the nacelle, dammit!"

"We already have, Commander," replied the young voice of an unidentified engineer,

"but there is still enough anti-matter in the nacelle to cause an explosion."

"Scotty! I want answers!" yelled Kirk.

"We're losing anti-matter containment in the port nacelle," answered a panicked

Scott. "If we don't find a way to stop it now it will blow the entire ship apart."

Kirk replied sternly, "don't let it come to that, Mister Scott."

Pike refused to believe that he was helpless. He might be twenty years behind the

times, but he certainly knew what was happening. If the anti-matter couldn't be removed

from the nacelle, then the nacelle would have to be removed from the ship.

"I estimate that we have five point six minutes before an explosion inside the nacelle

destroys the ship," stated Spock. Not even he was able to keep the concern out of his

voice.

Literally willing his crippled body to move as fast as it could, Pike made his way out

into the corridor. Red alert klaxons rang in his ears as he dodged crewman on his way to

the turbolift. "Shuttlebay!" he demanded as he entered the lift.

Time was short, and Pike was a little more than nervous. He was once told that getting

yourself out of impossible situations was like flying a shuttle, you never forgot how. Pike

hoped both were true.

The turbolift doors opened and Pike crossed the corridor to the Shuttlebay. Inside was

a clearly scared, young, human, female ensign. He barely gave her a glimpse as he

walked by. "Open the bay doors on my mark, Ensign," he bellowed.

The girl was clearly taken aback by the sight of the haggard looking man stumbling by

her. "I can't, sir, not during a red alert. It is against regulations."

Pike immediately turned around. "I'm still a Starfleet captain!" he screamed. "That

makes me your commanding officer. You'll do it, Ensign!"

She had little choice. "Yes, Captain."

Pike walked across the bay and entered the shuttle closest to the doors. He made a

quick look around. The controls had changed, but not so much that he couldn't figure it

out. He then cursed his clumsy and stiff movements as he started the engines. Every

second was crucial.

"Bay doors open, now!" Pike ordered as he hit what he hoped was the comm button.

He then carefully lifted the shuttle off the floor, and pointed it towards the opening bay

doors.

I guess I haven't forgotten how to fly one of these, he thought to himself as the

shuttle left the ship. Let's hope I still remember how to save lives.

His thoughts were cut short by Kirk's voice. "Shuttlecraft Roosevelt, what are you

doing?"

"I'm going to cut off the nacelle with the phasers, Jim. Then I'll put a tractor beam on

it, and warp it the hell out of here."

"Chris? Is that you?" asked a surprised Kirk.

"Yes, it is, Captain."

"I can't let you do it, Chris. I'm not going to let you sacrifice yourself to save us. Not

after you have just gotten your life back."

"I don't plan on sacrificing myself," proclaimed Pike. "I'm going to set the auto pilot

on a two second delay before it goes to warp. You'll have to beam me back within those

two seconds."

There was a moment of silence. Pike took that as a good sign. Captain Kirk was not

going to try to stop him.

"There is only one minute and six seconds before the Enterprise is destroyed,

Captain," stated Spock.

"I can do it," responded a confident Pike. He then brought the shuttle about and began

to cut the nacelle using a narrow phaser beam.

The job was tedious, and the precious seconds were ticking by. Pike had beads of

sweat forming on his forehead, his lips were dry, and he was loving every moment of it.

Finally he remembered what it felt like to have a purpose, to be alive.

With about ten seconds left, the nacelle was free. Pike wasted no time in getting a

tractor beam on it, then he set the auto pilot. "Enterprise, now!"

Pike felt the transporter beam grip him just as the shuttle jumped to warp. The next

thing he saw was Mister Scott behind the controls inside of the transporter room.

"I've got him, Captain," said Scott.

It was then that the ship was massively jolted. The nacelle had exploded, and the

shock wave knocked Pike off his feet. As he hit the ground he closed his eyes, and kept

them closed for a few seconds. He thought he might be dead, but he then heard Captain

Kirk's voice over the comm.

"You did it, Chris! You saved us all!"

The ship was still in one piece. Pike was so overwhelmed that he almost could not

breathe. He opened his eyes and got up as quickly as he could, but Mister Scott was no

longer behind the transporter controls. It was the Keeper.

"I'm glad to see that you did so well, Christopher," telepathically said the Talosian.

An angry Pike could not believe his eyes. He wanted to hit the man, but thought better

of it. "This wasn't real," he roughly spit out.

"Your anger towards me is valid, but allow me to explain," replied the Keeper.

All of a sudden the illusion that was the Enterprise disappeared around the two

men, and was replaced with the illusion of Vina's grave sight along the river bank.

Pike was literally in shock, almost to the point of tears. He was so stunned that he did

not notice that his youthful appearance was restored. "Why would you do this?" he asked.

"From the death of Vina we have learned first hand how finite life can be," said the

Keeper. "No moments should be wasted."

"Is she really dead?" asked a desperate Pike. "Was she real? Tell me that at least

she was real."

"She was real, Christopher, and so was her death. We could give her the illusion

of beauty, and of health, but we could not stop the deterioration of her body... And the

same goes for you."

"Are you saying that I am dying?" Pike's anger toward the Talosian momentarily gone.

"We are all dying, Christopher. At anytime anyone of us can be taken from this realm.

It was Vina and yourself that taught us this, and it is why we made you think that you

were aboard your former ship."

"You did not answer my question," said Pike. "Am I dying?"

The Keeper could not keep the sadness off of his face. "Your time is very short,

Christopher. It could come at any time now."

Pike was unable to move. Even after all he has been through he thought he was going

to live forever. It was a mind-set shared by most starship captains. They are always

prepared to lay down their lives at a moments notice, but at the same time they believe

they are invincible. All of a sudden Christopher Pike discovered that nothing could be

further from the truth.

"I am sorry, Christopher," said a sympathetic Keeper. "I will leave you alone if you

wish?"

"No," exclaimed Pike in just under a shout. "I want to go back... I want to die in

space." Tears then began to form in Pike's eyes as he asked, "Can you contact the

Enterprise? That is where I belong."

The statement took the Keeper by surprise. Both he and the other Talosians had grown

quite fond of the Captain. The news that Pike wished to go off somewhere else to die

would sadden them all. "Your aversion towards living in that chair, Christopher. Why

would you want to spend the short time that you have left like that?"

"Like I said," answered Pike as he wiped away the tears, "it is where I belong." He

then walked up to the Keeper and placed a hand on his shoulder. "It really should not

come as a shock. You saw how I reacted to the emergency that you created for me. That

is a part of the real Christopher Pike that I thought was dead inside of me. I would rather

die in that chair, on a ship that I knew was real, than die inside this illusion."

"Than it was a mistake to bring you here in the first place," asked the Keeper.

"No! Absolutely not," responded Pike. "I'm not explaining myself well." He then took

a moment to figure out he could make the Talosian understand. "You took me in when

you did not have to. You allowed me to find a love that totally enriched my life. I found

out things about myself here that I never would have discovered in the real universe, and

for that I will always be thankful. I could not have lived the rest of my life in that chair...

But I feel I must die in it."

The Keeper still did not understand, and resigned himself to the fact that he never

would, for there are some things about humans that will always remain a mystery. "We

will fulfill your wish, Christopher."

Pike managed to smile at the Talosian. "Thank you, friend."

The Keeper then took it upon himself to leave the Captain alone with Vina.

Pike took a few deep breaths before he knelt before the tombstone. "It looks as though

we are going to see one another soon." And for the first time in what seemed like forever,

Pike felt content. He finally accepted the situation he was in, and he allowed that

acceptance to wash over him.

********************

It might be a new ship, but it most certainly has the same feel to it, Captain Pike

thought to himself as he looked out a window located on the Enterprise A's observation

lounge. He had just come from sickbay where Doctor McCoy had given him a thorough

examination, and what the Doctor found was not surprising. The damaged organs in

Pike's body could no longer support the captain, not even with the help of the life giving

chair. McCoy told the Captain he had only a few days to live, a week at the most, so the

last thing he wanted to do is sit around and feel sorry for himself. Captain Kirk had been

nice enough to allow him to spend his last days aboard the Enterprise, and Pike planned on

taking advantage of it. No way was he going to simply sit around and feel sorry for

himself. Instead he will do what he can, and that is observe. Observe the goings on of the

fleet's flagship. Observe the bridge, engineering, the galley, everything and everyone he

can, because living life aboard a starship is in his blood. He is an explorer. He had had

the greatest job anyone could ask for, and he did it well. He did it with honor and

integrity. It was then that Pike realized exactly what a lucky man he was, for he was going

to die doing what he loved. Could anyone ask for more?

********************

Log entry of Captain Spock, First officer of the U.S.S. Enterprise A,

Stardate 9013.4:

It is my duty to state for the record that, at oh-eight-hundred and forty hours

this morning, Doctor McCoy declared Captain Christopher Pike deceased. The

cause of death was heart failure stemming from his accident aboard the U.S.S

Republic over twenty years ago. According to the Doctor, the Captain's ravaged

body could simply no longer function.

It was an honor to serve under Captain Pike. Not only was he a fine leader,

he was also a fine man. A man who devoted himself wholly to his occupation.

The Captain had no family, in essence he was "married" to Starfleet. It was

this struggle between his devotion to duty and his longing for companionship

that filled him with bitterness. It is something that many Starfleet officers

struggle with.

The Talosian known as "The Keeper" informed Captain Kirk and myself

that it was Captain Pike's wish to spend his last remaining days aboard the

Enterprise A. Whether he finally achieved the human need to come to terms

with the choices that one makes throughout their life, we will never know.

For all those who mourn the loss of the Captain, I grieve with thee.

HOME E-MAIL ME

I wrote an alternative ending to this story for Strange New Worlds V. Click

here if you would like to read it.

USS DEFIANT

Fanfic

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STAR TREK THE ORIGINAL SERIES:

THE DEATH OF CAPTAIN CHRISTOPHER PIKE

By Ed Reilly

Beneath a large weeping willow tree that was poised beside a gentle flowing river, a

lone mourner stood before the grave of a loved one. Slowly, the lamenter knelt and began

to whisper to the deceased.

"I've never been very good with words, but I guess you know that. Over the time we

spent here together we never needed to talk all that much. All we had to do was feel

the other's presence. Before I met you all I ever felt was loneliness. You relieved that.

Then you allowed me feel other emotions; affection, love, happiness, and then the best,

and most cruel, of them all... tranquillity. I wish now you had never opened me up to

those feelings...

"I miss you. I miss you so much it is like a physical pain inside me. Your presence is

gone, and all I have now is the loneliness and despair that plagued me before we met.

You were what made this place real to me. Without you it is merely a cage. A well

intentioned, but sad and lonely, cage.

"I don't know what to do without you. I'm not sure I can go on. Before you came into

my life I was ready to throw everything away. That same feeling keeps creeping back into

my mind now. I know you would tell me to go on. To keep living life the same way I did

when you were here, but it's impossible. It's impossible because there is no more you.

Not even the Talosians, for all their abilities, could keep the powers that run this cruel

universe from taking you from me. Still I treasure the time we had together, and I always

will, my love."

The lonely mourner then put his head in his hands, and began to cry.

********************

A walk along a wind swept beach. That is how Christopher Pike spends most of his

mornings since the death of Vina. The gentle pounding of the surf tends to clear his

mind. He thinks of the events that brought him to this place in his life, and what, if

anything, he can do with his future. This is the only time of the day when his

hopelessness is lifted for a short time.

About 100 meters ahead Pike noticed the Keeper. The Talosian who handles the

majority of the communication between his people and the human.

"Good morning," yelled Pike as he approached the Talosian.

"And greetings to you, Captain," was the Keeper's telepathic reply.

"Please," urged the human, "call me Chris, or Christopher if you prefer. After all this

time, you have earned that much."

"Of course," said the Talosian, a vein in his forehead throbbing. "I come bearing

news. We have received a message from your home planet. Recent med-"

Pike interrupted, "A message? From Earth?" He was shocked to say the least. He had

almost forgotten that their was life outside of Talos IV, and for certain he had thought that

everyone had forgotten about him. "You're telling me that someone wanted to get in

touch with me so bad that they disregarded General Order Seven?"

"If you will allow me to finish," politely answered the Keeper with a nod of his head.

"The transmission contained information on recent medical breakthroughs that could

nullify your disability."

"Nullify my disability?" skeptically asked Pike. He did not like being reminded of his

impediment. "The physical damage, maybe. But the damage to my brain? I was, I am,

practically a vegetable. All I can do is move that cart back and forth, and use that

ridiculous light to communicate."

"You underestimate your abilities, Christopher." The Talosian told the Captain. "The

very fact that you are able to receive and understand our illusions proves that you still

have highly developed cognitive brain function."

"Could it be?" Asked Pike more to himself than the Keeper.

"The message asks if you would like medical personnel to come and perform a new

and experimental procedure on you. If successful you would not need this planet, or our

illusions, any longer."

The idea both excited and saddened Pike. On the one hand it would mean leaving the

Talosians behind. The people who saved him from the dreadful fate of life trapped inside

of a black box, of life trapped inside of his own mind. But the Talosians were not his

people. He could not truly relate or even comprehend them. The bottom line was, with

Vina gone, he was alone, alone and miserable.

"Did this message say who would be performing this 'procedure'?" Pike asked.

"Yes," responded the Keeper. "The two doctors who will perform the surgery will be

Phillip Boyce and Leonard McCoy. They would be arriving on the ship you commanded,

the Enterprise."

Hearing that made the Captain smile. "Tell them to come if they would like, but I

want all the facts before I make a final decision."

For the first time in a long time, Christopher Pike had something to look forward to.

********************

Pike was out riding his horse, Tango, trying to clear his head. It had been some time

since he gave permission for the Enterprise to come for him, and the waiting was

becoming unbearable. A slew of questions invaded his mind constantly, questions that he

had no answer for.

It was then that Pike and Tango came galloping into the imaginary stable, and saw

Doctor Boyce, Mister Spock, Doctor McCoy, and Captain Kirk standing with the Keeper.

So overjoyed he was that he jumped off the horse almost before it came to a halt.

The first to greet him was Boyce. "Chris!" He exclaimed.

Pike ran up to his former chief medical officer and embraced him. "Phil, it's good to

see you, old man!"

"I've been waiting a long time for this moment," proclaimed Boyce.

The former Captain of the Enterprise then exchanged handshak