Inside the Vulcan orbital shipyard, the Enterprise rested quietly between the docking arms.
The new scorch marks and dents on its hull were particularly prominent under the repair lights, like a battle-hardened veteran who had just returned from the front lines, catching his breath and counting his wounds.
Vulcan engineers and Starfleet crew members worked skillfully in this repair area.
Their backs, clad in different uniforms, bustled inside and outside the compartments, performing structural scans and emergency reinforcements.
But beneath this organized activity, a silent, unspoken heaviness pervaded the ship's interior.
The conversations of crew members passing through the corridors were a few decibels lower than usual, and their movements when operating equipment were uncharacteristically gentle.
Everyone knew this was the Enterprise's last voyage as a starship.
Kirk stood on the bridge, his fingers unconsciously tracing the edge of the tactical console.
There was an inconspicuous scratch there, left during an emergency evasion five years ago.
His gaze swept over each station—Sulu's navigation, Uhura's communication panel, Chekov's engine console... These familiar devices had witnessed countless moments of life and death, and now seemed to be whispering goodbyes in the silence.
Discussions about the Enterprise's fate were no longer a secret.
The Starfleet Command's realistic assessment report lay on the table: the structural damage caused by the Genesis mission, coupled with the already aging hull, made the cost of continued service unbearable.
This mission itself was the Enterprise's last, but Kirk had originally hoped that the Enterprise could be converted into a training vessel after retirement. Now, it seemed his Old Pal could no longer hold on.
Occasionally, crew members could be heard exchanging whispers on board.
Some said that there were those in Command who advocated for conventional dismantling, believing that a dignified "retirement" for the old ship was responsible use of taxpayer resources.
But more voices argued—after the Khan incident, the Genesis miracle, and the return of Spock, Starfleet needed to preserve something.
The final news came through official channels.
The Enterprise, NCC-1701, would be permanently decommissioned after completing this return journey.
However, it would not be sent to a scrapyard but would be reborn in low Earth orbit—to become a Starfleet museum, continuing to tell the story of humanity's exploration of the stars to visitors from various worlds.
In the engineering bay, Engineer Scott listened to the official announcement, his palm gently resting on the familiar warp core control panel.
"A museum, huh..." he murmured, a complex curve forming on his lips.
It was at least better than dismantling, but he couldn't help imagining how the ship should have been soaring among the stars.
The moment the news spread, the atmosphere on board became subtle.
Young technicians visibly breathed a sigh of relief, while veterans like Sulu, who had spent long years with the Enterprise, silently continued their work, their movements slower, as if wanting to engrave the feel of each operation into their memory.
Osiris was analyzing data streams from Vulcan rituals when he accessed this information via the ship's network.
This news made him temporarily pause his calculations.
He couldn't help but recall records from the Warhammer Universe about preserving important individuals and equipment, ancient weapons sealed in stasis fields, and the astartes Chapter's Dreadnoughts.
He remembered those Space Marine, too gravely wounded to continue fighting, implanted into massive war machines, waiting in stasis fields for their next summons.
Their existence served as both living history lessons and ultimate war reserves.
In the current 30k era, it was still tolerable; in the future 40k era, these Dreadnought Elders even became a religious symbol.
When the Chapter needed them, these "Dreadnought Elders" would be awakened, using mechanical-sounding voices to impart their combat experience and the Chapter's ancient culture, or directly plunge into the most brutal battles.
The most famous among them was perhaps Bjorn the Fell-Handed, the first Chapter Master of the Space Wolves, who lived for ten thousand years.
This last Wolf Guard remained active on the galactic stage for ten millennia, which perhaps speaks to the history and legacy of the Imperium of Man.
Looking at the Enterprise undergoing repairs in the shipyard, Osiris realized that the two civilizations were preserving history in their own ways.
The Imperium of Man sealed heroes into war machines, letting history roar on the battlefield; while Starfleet chose to transform starships into cultural symbols, letting history quietly tell its story in museums.
The former served eternal war, the latter focused on the inheritance of civilization.
Repair work continued.
Vulcan engineers were assessing the extent of wear on the warp drive, while Scott argued vehemently nearby, trying to secure a better repair plan for his Old Pal.
The Enterprise's last voyage had not yet begun, but everyone was already preparing their goodbyes in their own way.
—
During the days of waiting for the Enterprise to complete necessary repairs, Osiris requested Ambassador Sarek for a visit to the Vulcan Public Knowledge Archives.
An extraterrestrial scholar wishing to understand a local civilization, and only requesting access to public information, Sarek arranged the visit after brief consideration.
The architecture of the Vulcan knowledge archives exhibited a distinct utilitarian style.
There were no superfluous decorations, only neatly arranged data terminals and efficient information transmission systems.
Osiris' massive mechanical body stood out prominently in the reading area, but his arrival did not attract any additional attention.
Through authorized access, he began systematically downloading and analyzing the public knowledge system of Vulcan civilization.
This information did not involve military secrets or cutting-edge technology, but it contained a vast amount of data on Vulcan philosophy, basic science, historical annals, and sociological studies.
He noticed that the Vulcan knowledge structure emphasized rigorous classification and causal relationships.
Each theory was accompanied by detailed derivation processes and counter-examples, and even old theories that had been disproven were fully preserved as part of logical evolution.
This contrasted sharply with the Starfleet knowledge base, which focused more on practicality and interdisciplinary integration.
In the field of natural sciences, Vulcans had a unique perspective on quantum physics and spacetime structure.
Although some of their early theoretical models had been superseded by more complete Starfleet theories, the pure logical beauty demonstrated in their derivation process was highly appreciated by Osiris.
Especially their mathematical models concerning telepathy, although not fully verifiable in this low-psychic universe, their theoretical framework itself held considerable reference value.
Historical and cultural archives revealed the Vulcan transition from emotional impulsiveness to the embrace of logic.
What interested Osiris most was the Vulcan explanation of "IDIC" (Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations) philosophy.
This concept emphasized both the universality of logic and acknowledged the existence of infinite forms of variation in the universe.
To some extent, this explained why they could coexist relatively openly with Starfleet and other alien civilizations, despite their own society appearing so reserved and unified.
During several days of visiting, Osiris quietly sat in the designated area of the knowledge archives, never disconnecting himself from the database.
His sensors recorded the information flow, while his processing core continuously compared and integrated this new knowledge with his existing database.
Occasionally, he would ask clarifying questions to the archives administrator but always strictly adhered to the boundaries of his access permissions.
This public Vulcan knowledge, though not involving any sensitive technology, provided him with a completely new perspective for understanding this universe.
He began to grasp more clearly the similarities and differences between Starfleet and Vulcan civilization and also developed more concrete ideas for potential future technical exchanges.
When the visit concluded, Osiris expressed his socially appropriate gratitude to Ambassador Sarek.
His database now included a profound understanding of this reddish-brown planet.
This knowledge did not yet show direct application, but for an Explorer Magos, understanding the essence of a civilization is a value that should never be underestimated.