STAR TREK

STAR TREKCITADEL

Interlude: Taps

By John H. Harris

STAR TREK: CITADEL interlude, Taps, is cba under aCreative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.It may be shared freely, so long as it is done in full and contains this Creative Commons notice.

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For Mr. Leonard Nimoy

March 26, 1931 - February 27, 2015

Of my friend, I can only say this:Of all the souls I have encountered in my travels,

his was the most Human.

- Admiral James T. Kirk

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

Since my customary farewell would appear oddly self-serving, I will simply say, Good Luck.

- Spock Prime

STAR TREK (2009)

Starbase Gwalior, Headquarters

Citadel, Planet Intar

Stardate 68624.2It was a lovely day in the city of Citadel, and Admiral Yhivanis Ragiker decided to walk to his office in the headquarters building of the ancient fortress that gave the city its name.It wasnt much of a walk, since most of the base facilities were located at other sites, as well as in Intar Spacedock, the massive space station which provided construction, repair and resupply for the Federation Starships that called the newly-completed base home.

Ragiker was the third commander of the base, succeeding the late General An Rentoshi and his recently-retired friend, Admiral Daileyr Kayn. By tradition, the commander was always an Intaran, but Ragiker retained the Starfleet rank he had earned during his extended time as an exchange officer, and it was the red, black and gray uniform of a Starfleet command division officer he wore, rather than the blue, gold and red of the Intaran Space Service.

But as he walked through the front door of the renovated office building, he noticed an air of melancholy, especially from the Starfleet personnel.

He stopped, shocked into immobility at the sight before him.

Tears.

That, in itself, was not unusual.

But the sight of tears on the face of a Vulcan was.

Chief, Ragiker asked, almost dreading the answer, are you crying?

Sir?

The voice was as steady and unemotional as ever, but the enlisted mans face belied it.

There are tear streaks on your face, Chief.

As if not quite believing the Intaran, the Vulcan reached up and touched the still-wet tear-streak on his right cheek.

Whats happened? the admiral asked.

Starfleet has sent a flash message to all personnel and facilities, announcing the death of Ambassador Spock.

Ragiker knew who Spock was, and how important to Starfleet and the Federation he was, so it explained the sadness that permeated the base.I see, he said. Are there any orders pertaining to memorials?All Federation flags are to be flown at half-staff for the next five stardates. All facilities are to render honors as per the prevailing cultures tradition. An official memorial will be held aboard Earth Spacedock at a time corresponding with sunrise at the Vulcan city of ShiKahr. It will be in the form of a reenactment of the ambassadors funeral aboard the USS Enterprise. That will be in nine hours, twenty-six minutes.

Which corresponds to dusk, Ragiker observed, with a slight nod. I see. My orders are these: all flags, Federation and Intaran, to be lowered to half-staff as directed. All Starfleet personnel are to wear mourning bands on commbadges for the same duration.Aye, Sir.

Also, shore guns are to fire a volley of three photon torpedoes, set to display burst, at the moment the burial tube is fired from Earth Spacedock. Wed better assemble the Headquarters personnel on the quad at that time. Until then, Ill be in my office.

Aye, Admiral.

Ragiker turned on his heel, but then paused.

There is one more thing

This day, we gather to honor a comrade who has gone to live with the Maker.His name was Spock. A soldier, scientist, diplomat, peacemaker but above all, an inspiration to generations of Federation citizens.

Ragiker paused, looking up at the two flags above him. To his right was the blue and white flag of the United Federation of Planets, and to his left was the red, blue, green, gold, orange and white flag of the United Planet of Intar.

As he was the child of two worlds, he continued, so shall the way we honor him.

STARBASE GWALIOR! STAND TO ATTENTION!

Instantly, nearly three hundred officers and enlisted people, both Intaran and alien, snapped to the rigid stance demanded by the command.

We commend the spirit of our honored friend, Spock, to the eternal light of the Maker of All Things.

So say one, so say three, so say all.

Executing a parade-perfect about face, Ragiker turned to face the three torpedo launchers that formed part of the visible defenses for the city of Citadel. Then, as he brought his hand up to execute a salute, three yellow-white streaks leapt from the launchers, detonating as triplet flowers of light a thousand meters above.

In the silence that followed, which seemed to spread out over the whole city, a lone bugler, a young human from a tiny town on Deneva, played twenty-four plaintive notes.There were no official words to those twenty-four notes, but every one of the Starfleet personnel knew the tune

known as Taps.

From the Authors, Readers and Friends

of Star Trek: Citadel,

Rest Well, Mr. Nimoy

We will all miss you.