Lapse Of Memory Stardate 2259.230

Hours passed and they were approaching the Lysian central command. It was a large, space station and Scarlett reported over 50000 lives were on it. "There it is Captain," he said. "Its almost over," he said. "Captain, 3 Lysian ships are approaching in an attack formation," Kal said. "Elyse, just disable their engines," Kirk said. When she didn't and just sat there Kal looked at her. "Elyse...just do it...c'mon, just disable them," he whispered.

Elyse looked over at Kiernan and if looks could kill he would have been on the floor begging for mercy. She heard what Kirk said and she didn't move at first. She just sat there with her fists clenched. She glanced over at Kal and sighed. She had a feeling that if she didn't do something then Kiernan was going to do something more drastic and she wouldn't allow him to hurt anyone else. She then charged the phasers and took out all three ships engines. She was precise and accurate and made sure that no one was hurt or killed.

The Enterprise moved past them and soon the station was before them. "That's it Captain, one Photon Torpedo should do it," he said. "This just isn't right," Kirk said and Kiernan turned to him. "Captain, just one Torpedo and we can all go home," Kiernan said. "No, they are defenseless, I'm not killing defenseless people," he said. Kiernan stood up in frustration.

"The Captain is refusing to do his duty. Our mission is to destroy that station, at this moment, I find Captain Kirk unable to perform his duty as Captain," Kiernan said. "Kal...Spock, restrain the Captain," He said. Kal stood and for a moment he saw Elyse's face as she reacted to him standing up. But he only just folded his hands in front of him and didn't move. Either did Spock. "You're out of line Mr," Kirk said. Kiernan moved over to Elyse's station and she saw him initiate loading a torpedo. "I will complete this mission!" he said.

Amara watched her husband closely as the ship neared the station. She was holding her breath and she felt her heartbeat increasing. She desperately hoped he wouldn’t do this. She felt he was better than killing unarmed people.

Elyse was also watching him. She wouldn’t do what Kiernan wanted. She wouldn’t arm a photon torpedo. She could see Kiernan becoming increasingly angry. When he claimed that Kirk was unfit to command and ordered Spock and Kal to take him away, she watched Kal as he stood. Her eyes were wide in disbelief. However, much to her relief, he didn’t do as Kiernan wanted and neither did Spock.

Kiernan suddenly took over her station and tried to arm the photon torpedo. She knew if she didn’t do something that he would kill all those people. She suddenly stood up. The motion got his attention for a split second. Then...she punched him square in the face.

As soon as Kiernan moved, Amara shifted and opened up the weapons locker near her station then pulled out a phaser. Elyse’s punch met Kiernan’s face but he did not appear to be all that affected. As Kal came toward him Kiernan punched Elyse in the left eye, hard and his fist felt like a hammer. As she fell back into her console Kal launched himself at the man and Kiernan managed to toss him aside like a ragdoll. As Elyse struggled with him his hand went around her throat. Kiernan was inhumanly strong and she felt her throat constrict as he began to choke her. As Amara shot him Elyse saw his face and flesh change mementatily to that of some kind of reptilian humanoid. With her hands around his wrist she struggled to kick him off of her. The phaser stun had affected him but he still came on. Kal came up behind him and put his arm around his neck to try and pull him back. Amara shot again and then a third time and Kiernan finally fell. As he let go of Elyse, sweet air began to flow through her throat once again.

“Medical Emergency to the bridge! Security to the bridge!” Kirk said as he stood up. It all happened in moments and everyone had shock in their face. Kal finally got to Elyse and held her up as she came to sit back onto her console. Her neck as just one, large bruise and her eye as well. “Are you alright?” Kal said as Nathan came onto the bridge armed with a phaser. He looked around then holstered his weapon. The doctor came soon after.

Kiernan was taken to the brig as McCoy worked on Elyse. He used a medical device that repaired her flesh but he told her that her throat might feel strange for a couple of days. He healed her eye completely. That afternoon McCoy began using his treatment to repair everyone’s memory. He began with the bridge personnel and it took most of the evening to get to ever crewmember. Scotty and Spock were able to recover the deleted computer files and the doctor was able to remove the dermal layer Kiernan used to make himself look like a human.

Later that night he finally returned to his and Elyse’s quarters exhausted. He saw that she had waited up for him. She had been reading on the couch in her silky pajamas. He poured himself a Bourbon then moved and sat next to her.

“Kiernan is Argonian, a race of humanoid reptiles. Apparently they are enemies of the Lysians. They are at war and about the same technology wise but they had developed a beam weapon that scrambles a person’s memories,” he said as he leaned back. He was exhausted.

Elyse tried to help, but both Leonard and Jim were insistent after what Kiernan had done to her that she go get some rest. Leonard restored her memories first and then she returned to her and Leonard's quarters. She showered and then changed into some silk pajamas. She was laying in bed reading when Leonard finally came in. She put the PADD aside and watched him as he poured himself a glass of Bourbon. She had some water sitting on the bedside table next to her, but she hadn't drank very much since it hurt to swallow. 

"Soooo...I was right about Kiernan," she teased with a grin.

McCoy moved toward her and sat on her side of the bed. He set down his drink and gingerly inspected her throat. “Yes, you were right, alot of good it did you to be right,” he said. “It was torture to ‘feel’ as if I was supposed to be with someone, with you and not knowing who it was,” he said. “Sleeping alone felt...odd and now I know why,” he said. “I will always know how lucky I am to have you Elyse. Even if my memory is gone or not,” he said. “You’ve changed my life in such a wonderful way...And I don’t ever want to go backward,” he said as he shifted to give her a small kiss. He smiled and stood up to get ready for bed.

“We’re headed back to our original course. It seems everyone is anxious to put this all behind them,” he said.

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Amara moved slowly atop him. Getting their memories back had not been all good. For a while Amara had never been a Romulan spy or a Section 31 agent. She had never lied to her husband or worked against him. She was just Jim Kirk’s wife and lover. She leaned down and nuzzled his neck as she made love to him. He felt her tears as the complex set of emotions struck her. Kirk held her against him and kissed her head as she stopped moving. “Its alright Amara,” he assured her. “I love you,” he murmured as she shifted her head so they could look into one another’s eyes. Kirk shifted them so he was now on top of her. Her cheeks were red from her tears and he came down and kissed her deeply as he continued to make love to her.