The Final Mission? – "The Alone, Part Two" was the 63rd issue of DC Comics's second monthly TOS series, published in September 1994. It was the conclusion of a two-part story written by Kevin Ryan, drawn by Rod Whigham and Arne Starr, with most of the events taking place in a flashback to 2270. In this story, James T. Kirk found himself trapped alone on an uninhabited planet.
Summary[]
Stranded on Gribbin II, Kirk survives an attack by three large, bear-like mammals by killing them with a spear and his phaser. However, the wounded pack's leader was pregnant, bearing a helpless cub before dying. Kirk adopts the animal, naming him Gary, and over the years they bond. Kirk enacts a rescue plan and begins carrying red-colored rocks atop a plateau, which he's eventually able to ascend five times each day after chiseling out steps. He continues to record log entries for the rest of his life and maintains hope, finally completing his task with the red rocks. He packs his belongings and ascends the plateau one final time. He dies of old age, his pet wailing at the loss.
Two centuries later, the USS Enterprise orbits Veneu II, where Kirk has recently disappeared. Admiral Handler refuses to allow the Enterprise to remain out of service for months to search the Wumpar sector for Kirk, declaring him lost and presumed dead. Given a direct order to report to Starbase 86, Spock has Pavel Chekov plot an efficient course by way of each system in the sector. Overhearing the subspace communication, Commander Ikemar of the Wumpar permits the search so long as his flagship provides escort.
As Ikemar visits the Enterprise, appreciating the crew's harmony and diversity, he shares his homeworld's history with Spock, explaining that confrontations with warlike Drasalle have left the Wumpar nearing extinction. When news arrives that the Drasalle will soon begin a final assault, Spock offers to mediate, as there are always alternatives, and Ikemar accepts. As the two ships soon approach the Drasalle fleet, Nyota Uhura broadcasts friendship messages and Spock asks for a dialogue, but the bullying Drasalle just shoot at the Enterprise. Spock returns fire with photon torpedoes and phaser fire across their bows, and the Drasalle quickly withdraw. In gratitude, Ikemar commits his own fleet to the sector-wide search.
Shortly after entering the Gribbin system, Chekov discovers an enormous rock formation of a USS Enterprise command division assignment patch that spans the width of a plateau on the planet's main continent, where Kirk's body and a lifetime of handwritten log entries are recovered. The ship then performs a slingshot maneuver around the star and time travels into the past, rescuing Kirk shortly after he first arrived on the planet. As Leonard McCoy pointed out the prospect of creating paradoxes, Spock has Montgomery Scott recreate Kirk's stone formation with the transporter.
Once back in 2270, Kirk has been reading the recovered log entries from his alternate timeline, marveling at a life he never lived, and feeling as though he's gotten a second chance at life. He doesn't know what the future holds after their five-year mission, but he expects some changes.
In 2290, Kirk returns to Gribbin II aboard the USS Enterprise-A.
- Captain's log, stardate 8826.2:
- The Enterprise is in orbit around Gribbin II, a flourishing world, the first new world colonized by the Wumpar in many years. The Wumpar have made Spock and me heroes and symbols for their efforts to rebuild. I'm uncomfortable in the role but pleased with the results.
- The Wumpar have thanked us for honoring them with a visit. The fact is they honor us with their efforts and their hope. I owe them a debt for reminding me of the importance of what the Enterprise is doing out here — a mission that I will continue as long as I am able.
References[]
Characters[]
- Pavel Chekov • Gary • Handler • Ikemar • James T. Kirk • Leonard McCoy • Montgomery Scott • Spock • Hikaru Sulu • Nyota Uhura • unnamed USS Enterprise personnel (navigator, crew in corridors)
- Referenced only
- Amanda Grayson • James • Gary Mitchell • George Samuel Kirk, Jr. • Carol Marcus • David Marcus • Sarek • Tyree
Starships and vehicles[]
- USS Enterprise (Constitution-class heavy cruiser) • USS Enterprise-A (Enterprise-subclass refit Constitution-class tactical command cruiser) • Drasalle starships • Wumpar starship
Locations[]
- Earth (Golden Gate Bridge • San Francisco) • Gribbin (Gribbin II) • Wumpar sector
- Referenced only
- Moetar system • Starbase 86 • Vulcan • Wumpar homeworld
Races and cultures[]
States and organizations[]
Ranks and titles[]
- admiral • captain • commander • doctor • lieutenant • lieutenant commander
Science and classification[]
- arrow • Atalskes phaser IV • bow • communicator • cudgel • hammer • impulse • laboratory • long-range sensor • PADD • phaser • photon torpedo • shields • slingshot maneuver • space station • spear • subspace communication • time travel • transporter • turbolift • viewscreen • warp drive • weapon
Materials and substances[]
Lifeforms[]
Other references[]
- alternate timeline • assignment patch • book • bridge • briefing room • captain's log • captain's log, USS Enterprise, 2270 • captain's log, USS Enterprise-A, 2290 • class M planet • coffee • command division • continent • corridor • crew • day • extinction • Federation Starfleet ranks (2260s) • Federation Starfleet ranks (2270s-2350s) • fifth planet • fire • flagship • fleet • foods and beverages • garden • helm • history • Iron Age • log • log entry • minute • month • pregnancy • quarters • races and cultures • rank • rock climbing • second planet • sector • species • star • Starfleet uniform (2265-2270) • Starfleet uniform (2278-2350s) • system • time • transporter room • water • year
Timeline[]
Chronology[]
- James T. Kirk materializes on Gribbin II via time travel, stranded in the past.
- Kirk dies of old age on Gribbin II, mourned by his pet Gary.
- Pavel Chekov locates Kirk's remains on Gribbin II.
- USS Enterprise uses a slingshot maneuver to travel to the past and rescue Kirk shortly after his arrival on Gribbin II.
- 2290 (stardate 8826.2)
- Kirk returns to Gribbin II aboard the USS Enterprise-A.
Appendices[]
Background[]
- Amanda Grayson, Sarek and the Wumpar sector were not cited by name.
Related stories[]
- TOS episode & Star Trek 10 novelization: A Private Little War – Kirk learned primitive metallurgy from Tyree on Neural.
- DSC episode: "The Vulcan Hello" – While stranded in a desert in 2256, Philippa Georgiou and Michael Burnham traced out a Starfleet assignment patch large enough to be spotted by the USS Shenzhou.
- Kirk also died in:
Images[]
Connections[]
| published order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous comic: #62: The Alone |
TOS comics (DC Comics, Series Two) |
Next comic: #64: Gary |
| Previous story: The Alone |
Stories by: Kevin Ryan |
Next story: Gary |
| chronological order | ||
| Previous adventure: The Alone |
Memory Beta Chronology | Next adventure: The Rings of Time Chapters 2, 4, 6, 8, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29-30 |
| The above chronology placements are based on the primary placement in 2270. The Memory Beta Chronology places events from this story in 1 other timeframe(s): | ||
| Previous adventure: The Alone framing story |
2290 | Next adventure: Bait...and Switch |
External links[]
- The Alone, Part Two article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
- The Alone, Part Two article at Siskoid's Blog of Geekery.