"I'll handle Sulu myself. His concussion is very serious but it's nothing I can't fix."

Kirk replied:

"You do that, Bones, and let me know when Sulu is able to talk. We've got to find out what happened to the Excelsior!"

****

Kirk, Spock, and Scotty were back on the bridge after departing the transporter room.

"Helm, get us the hell out of here at warp eight. We don't know who or what attacked the Excelsior, but whatever it was she was hopelessly destroyed and we can't risk the same happening to the Enterprise!"

Kirk thumbed his intercom:

"Dr. McCoy, it is imperative that I can speak to Sulu. How's he doing?"

McCoy responded in his typically annoyed manner:

"Not now, Captain, I am right in the middle of performing life-saving brain surgery on Sulu. I'll let you know when he's able to be interviewed."

Kirk was impatient as the situation was unknown and dire:

"Spock, what else can you tell me about the attack on the Excelsior?"

Spock replied:

"Other than her totally ruined condition, I have only this to add. The damage to the Excelsior seems to have been caused by Federation style phasers and photon torpedoes. Indicating she may have been attacked by a Starfleet vessel or group of vessels."

Kirk was surprised over what Spock just reported to him:

    

"What? The Excelsior was attacked by Starfleet vessels? Impossible!"

Spock corrected the Captain:

"I said "may" have been attacked by a Starfleet vessel or vessels. It is more likely that whoever attacked the Excelsior has acquired Federation style weapons systems."

Kirk was satisfied with that much:

"Very well, but the question remains why did they attack and destroy the Excelsior and why are we out of contact with Starfleet command and Earth? One thing is for damn sure, and that's the only person aboard who may be able to shed light on this crisis is Sulu. Spock, you're in command. I am heading down to sickbay to annoy Dr. McCoy."

By the time Kirk arrived at sickbay he could see that Dr. McCoy had completed Sulu's brain surgery and Sulu was still unconscious in bed. Bones could guess what Kirk would demand of him next:

"Let me guess, Jim. The situation is dire and you're here to interview Sulu. Next you'll ask me to give him a shot of Cordrazine to rouse him so he can talk to you. I figured as much so I already gave him as much Cordrazine as I can recommend. He should be coming out of it in a minute."

Kirk and McCoy stood next to Sulu's bed and watched as he came into consciousness. Kirk leaned forward:

"Sulu! It's Jim Kirk! You're in sickbay recovering from a nasty head injury."

Sulu's voice as weak as he spoke:

"Jim, we were attacked! It was incredible!"

Kirk replied:

"By whom, Sulu? Who attacked you?"

Sulu replied:

"It was a Federation strike force consisting of four battle cruisers! But there's something important I have to tell you. Before the strike force attacked us, the group leader contacted us to question me. He specifically wanted to know where the Enterprise was. We didn't know where it  was and he became enraged and the strike force immediately commenced a full scale phaser and proton torpedo barrages that put us out of business totally in a matter of minutes. Here's the most important part of the story, Jim. The group leader was a man I barely recognized, but I did recognize him! I don't know how or why, Jim, but it was your best friend, Gary Mitchell!"

Kirk was taken aback:

"Gary Mitchell?! The last time I saw Gary he was on Delta Vega and he was dead! I huge boulder fell on top of him crushing him to death just before he could kill me! Are you sure it was Gary, Sulu?"

Sulu was growing faint:

"His hair was as long as his shoulders and it was grey and he wore a beard but I am sure it was him. I recognized his voice and he still had those same silver eyes!"

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