ST2009: Second Servings

Title: Best Served Cold

Fandom: Star Trek (2009)

Characters: Jane Tabitha Kirk, Spock, Spock Prime, Original Romulan Male Character, George Samuel Kirk, Pavel Chekov, Hikaru Sulu, Nyota Uhura, some more Original characters, people of Riverside, Christopher Pike, Samuel Cogley, Montgomery Scott, Leonard McCoy, Sarek

Genre: Ansgt, Drama, Romance, Family, Hurt, Comfort

Warnings: AU, supposed infidelity, bond breaking, general angst. I recommend reading author's comment.

Second Servings

Spock

He stared at the PAD in his hand. Sterile. He reloaded the page. The message remained the same. Sterile. Just another sign of his failure in the repopulation process of the New Vulcan. As hybrids often were, he was sterile, and although he had been told that since his childhood, small part of him, the human one, held on to the hope that the tests were wrong.

When he sensed new life in Jane's womb that day, he was secretly overjoyed and planned to throw a small celebration with her later - but his six month physical crushed that joy. He was still sterile, so the new life growing in Jane's, his aduna's, womb couldn't be of his making. And as logic dictated, that mean only one thing.

Jane had been unfaithful.

There was no other way she could be pregnant - and it broke his heart to think that all those people who warned him from starting a relationship with her were right. 'Don't do that, Spock,' they said, 'leopard can't change its spots and so Jane T. Kirk can't change her ways.' Illogically he hoped he will be enough for her, in spite of the nay-sayers. 'She never had been monogamous as long as I know. You're in for a harsh wake-up call, if you really think one man would be enough for her.'

Instead of the celebration he planned he confronted her that day. In one of his rare emotional displays he dumped all his frustrations and hurt on her, anger pouring off him in waves which scared even him. When he saw her cowering in front of him, fear clear in her eyes, her breathing quickened in panic as he stood close with his hand raised, he just had to leave. But not before he said some last words.

He didn't see her stunned face with tears streaming down her eyes as he left, hurting too much himself to care. He will have to inform others about change of his relationship with Captain. It was something he didn't look forward to, but it had to be done.

Leonard McCoy

He didn't quite believed his own ears when Spock informed him of Jane's pregnancy. It came as a slap when he thought of all the times when he and Jane would sit in his room, drinks in their hands, chatting about everything and nothing and Jane claiming how happy she is with Spock. And he believed her. Hell, all of them believed her, when she said this relationship is for life, because they are bonded now.

What the hell was the woman thinking, cheating on her bondmate?!

And she had the gall to come to his sickbay next day, asking whether he has time. He was proud to say that he didn't mince words, and was brutally honest in everything he said. So when she asked "have you got a moment, Bones?" he just icily said: "It's Doctor McCoy, Captain, and unless it's medical matter, be so nice and get the fuck out of my sickbay."

For a moment she looked as if he punched her in the gut. "I see Spock spoke to you," she said quietly. "You bet he did," he exploded, angry at being so stupid and actually be one of the people who told Spock that Jane is changed woman when he was still hesitating whether it would be logical to start a relationship with her. "I thought you were different, Captain," he spat. "I sure wouldn't take you for a player."

"Player," she repeated duly. "Sorry for taking your time, Doctor. I shall bother you no more." With a swish of the door she was out, whispers of the nurses following her exit. "Don't you have anything to do?" he growled, successfully silencing the voices.

God, he needed a drink. Or five.

Nyota Uhura

It was her who ended the relationship she and Spock were in. She wanted someone who wouldn't stand stiff like a board when she moved to hug him or lay her hand on him. She realized that asking these things from a Vulcan (well, half-Vulcan) was a bit too much in too short time - but she was human, for god's sake, and she had her needs. Spock accepted her reasons, saying that he would like to keep in contact even if they were no longer engaged in romantic relationship and soon she found why.

He was quite taken by their Captain, and found himself in need of help of another female in his attempts to woo her.

She was rather vocal in her disagreement with that. 'Spock, she slept through half of the Academy!' she would say. 'Hell, she even hit on me repeatedly. You'll only get hurt, if you start anything with her.' She was jealous, yes. Mostly because it was her who had to woo Spock, not the other way around. She was envious of Kirk to be able to make Spock drop his shields with almost no effort of her own, while she had to work on it for ages before he cracked for at least a bit in her presence.

When she looked back at the beginnings of Spock's and Kirk's relationship, she thought that maybe, just maybe she was harsh in her evaluation of Kirk's character. She still would flirt with everything that moved, but it would stay in the relatively innocent limits. Even she could see that Spock was happy, especially after he and Kirk got bonded.

Then Spock came, crushed so visibly her heart went to him. So, Kirk cheated. But not even she could find it in herself to say 'I told you so' to Spock. She was one of the first people who signed the letter to Admiral Pike about inability to continue to serve under Captain Kirk, due to her behaviour (only Chekov refused to sign it, they were unable to get the reasons from him) - they cited the infidelity as the reason - and she was the one who sent it through, with gentle look towards Spock who held himself rigidly straight and an icy glare towards Kirk, who sat in the Captain's chair and had the balls to look as if she had been the wronged side here.

There are things you just do not forgive, thought Uhura, and she was closer to the truth with that thought than she would ever thought possible.

Hikaru Sulu

Hikaru was unsure how to treat his Captain now. He used to thought them friends, but how can you stay friends with someone who is just so... well, unfaithful to their husband, and in such a way?

She was still his Captain, though, so he spoke to her in official capacity - but once he heard she was pregnant, he cancelled all their training sessions. He knew how brutal their training could get (he still remembered the few times both of them ended with cracked ribs or even broken arms), and he sure wasn't about to let it fall on his conscience if he hurt the unborn life she now carried (at least as far as he knew, she didn't abort the kid). She didn't question it, just nodding quietly when she acknowledged the cancellation.

When he got the form to sign for voicing disapproval with further serving under Captain Kirk, he hesitated for a moment - but then he took the pen and signed his name in big letters.

Montgomery Scott

Scotty usually couldn't care less about what he hears from his crewmen (since most of the time it was just idiotic gossip) - but when he heard about Commander Spock storming out of the quarters he shared with Captain, he found himself listening to what people said.

And Spock himself just added to that.

In spirit of 'bros before hos', he took great care to change settings of Captain's personal replicator. He changed it back only because one of the nurses told him that one of the recipes he installed there contained bits of stuff Captain was allergic to and she landed in sickbay with anaphylactic shock.

He sure didn't want to get stuck back at Delta Vega for accidentally murdering his Captain.

Pavel Chekov

They said it will break you, if you meet your model face to face. Chekov didn't think that meeting Captain Kirk face to face every day would be breaking him - he thought it may actually give him strength to go on. No such things as no-win scenarios, Captain used to say, and the longer he served with her, the more he believed it himself. The situation they found themselves in just seemed to prove that there actually are no-win situations, and he was helpless about how to solve it.

Commander Spock told him about breaking off with Captain. He told them why - he was sterile and Captain was pregnant, that logically meant she was sleeping around. Was Chekov the only one who thought something is not quite alright in this? To him, it didn't look like something Captain would do. He still did nothing, to his everlasting shame; wouldn't even meet his Captain's eyes.

In rare moment of brave rebelliousness he refused to sign the complaint filled by Uhura and Scotty. No and no. He won't sign that, he said over and over. When Admiral Pike came, he thought that the situation will get better. Instead, Captain got discharged and removed from Enterprise.

He was not allowed to even say his goodbye to her.

Christopher Pike

When he got the email with complaint against Jane, he was taken aback. Sure, he knew that her methods are pretty unorthodox, and got in fights over that with some of the other admirals over that quite often. But it still came as a surprise, this email from her own crew. Not to mention the reasons he read there.

He sure thought better of Jane Tabitha Kirk.

When he showed on inspection at Enterprise, he saw hope shining in Jane's eyes - only to be dimmed once she read the PAD he handed her. He expected her to get sarcastic (because that's what Jane was like - if she was wronged, she would get sarcastic as hell) - but instead she wouldn't meet his eyes as she nodded her understanding to the message.

If he ever saw a broken woman, Jane was it. And the lack of protest on her side just made him believe that the complaint had been true - to the very last letter.

Sam Kirk

When his sister appeared at his doorstep, he was shocked at how badly she looked - as if she didn't sleep, or eat properly, for weeks. When he was finally able to get how was it possible for her to be there, Aurelan came home. Aurelan didn't know what was happening - but as soon as she saw her sister-in-law, she seemed to know. "It's all over the news," she said quietly, pointing him to the article with big "J. T. Kirk - Dishonorable Discharge for the Upstart Captain! Was Starfleet too quick in giving her the flagship?" all over it. No wonder Jane looked so run down; when they managed to get whole story from her, it showed to be even worse than the article hinted.

Sam wondered where his stepfather's shotgun might be, because he seriously considered using it now.

Obviously he was not alone in the sentiment - once their local pastor paid Jane a visit, the whole of Riverside flocked together around her and doted on her as if she herself was a baby. It warmed his heart to see that it came so naturally to everyone to accept her - Lyna rented her the small flat Jane used to rent before she went to Academy, Bil took her under his medic wing, Danny gave her work at his pizza parlour...

Jane was not giving up on her friends and their ability to see the truth. Every time she came from her medical examination, she would write emails to her bondmate, one Vulcan Elder, Admiral Pike and her doctor friend, giving them news about progress of her pregnancy, what she had been up to...

First blow came when Leonard - that doctor she used to be good friends with - answered the email in rather loud and not very nicely worded voice mail (Sam was still cringing when he remembered some parts of that). The next blow had been notice from Starfleet where she had been told to stop to inconvenience Admiral Pike and Captain Spock, lest harassment complaint shall be filled against her. Jane thought no one knew that she cried herself to sleep that and they decided to let her think that.

Real shock came when she called him and Aurelan one day, crying in the comm that she is throwing her insides up, she can't stop crying and her head is killing her, scaring the shit out of them. They were at her place in record time, bursting inside just in time to catch her before she could crash on the floor. The news of her bond being broken was like a stab of the knife in wound already opened, they could see it in her clearly. That day, she didn't hide her tears.

Some weeks later, she emailed them all with good news about her baby - 60% Vulcan, boy, and attached a scan picture. The baby was obviously as strong as his mother, his ear showing gentle point to it already. She was trying to stay strong, but those closest to her knew how much it hurt her to do this all alone, and Sam prayed to every deity he could think of for a miracle.

Maiek Riuurren

He was unsure about what he thought to accomplish by coming here. People were already giving him strange looks, as he stood in front of pizza parlour called Danny's, place where the person he wanted to meet, Jane Tabitha Kirk, was supposed to work. He inhaled deeply, standing straight, and walked in.

Jane Kirk had been standing behind the counter, pouring new coffee in a pot, obviously deep in though so she didn't hear him coming in. It clearly shocked her to see a Romulan behind her, as suggested the fact she almost dropped the pot, one of her hands coming to rest above her heart as she tried to calm down her breathing.

He knew she was pregnant, about to give birth to her child any day, but nothing prepared him to how beautiful she will be.

He quickly recovered from his thoughts, introducing himself and asking for an opportunity to talk to her. He wanted to get to know the woman who defeated a Romulan from future, who became Captain in such a short time and who had several break-through successes on her name from those years spent by captaining. After all, was that not one of the reasons he gave up commanding of his own ship to become an Ambassador, to be given the opportunity to meet her?

He didn't mind the waiting - there were lots of things to think about. What would he like to talk to her about? What about her child? Did she know whether it's a boy or a girl? Or...? The wait was worth it, as she sat at his table at the end of her shift, having a small dinner with him, as they talked.

As he was leaving, he heard himself saying: "I find S'chn T'gai Spock and his decision to leave you illogical. Anyone would be content to have mate as brilliant as you."

"Would you?" she asked him teasingly. "Yes," he blurted and left quickly, his heart beating madly. He was sure it came as a surprise to both of them, but yes, he would be content to have mate like her.

He found himself returning to Danny's every few days afterwards - one of the first things he learnt at his first stop there was that Jane gave birth to healthy boy, with strong name. S'tark Tiberius Kirk. It warmed him that few weeks later Jane invited him to see her son, let him hold the child.

He could picture himself with her and the boy as a family. Now he had to make her see it the same way.

Spock Prime

Spock, or Selek, as was the name he went under now, was tired. Tired after the long months he had been preparing new generation of Adepts of Gol. Tired after those months of hiding his emotions, so he wouldn't disturb their meditations, practice and trials.

All he wanted now was to have a proper food, good rest (he was old enough to know that his body won't take so little sleep as the younger Vulcan body could) and a pleasant talk with his friends on Enterprise. Instead, he got a small meal, little rest and unpleasant surprise.

"Jane T. Kirk is no longer Captain of Enterprise," told him Sarek. "She had been dishonorably discharged year ago for conduit unbecoming a Starfleet Captain, particulary for cheating on Spock, her bondmate."

That shook him to his core. Jane and cheating on someone? Jane without her ship? How was that even possible? He immediately started his research on the matter, eager to learn what happened during the time he was with Adepts of Gol. And then it occurred him to check his mailbox. Most of the messages there had been invitations to various events, but deep in them, there had been several of interest, as they had been from Jane.

After reading the first one he understood. "I'm pregnant," Jane wrote. "I'm pregnant and I do not know how it's possible, but the pregnancy is real. Spock says I must have cheated on him to get with a child, but I never did that. Nobody believes me, and everyone took Spock's side without hearing me first. And now they even had ben dishonorably discharged for getting pregnant with my bondmate, who of course refuses to even look my way, not to mention talk to me."

The next few emails had been equally heart-breaking. "I arrived to Earth and can't find any job. They always say the position is already taken but when I hacked into their system, while my inquiry about the job had been responded with 'already taken', people who wrote after me were invited for an interview. Old man, what I'm going to do?"

There were some updates on her pregnancy, such as "baby is growing as he should. My doctor, Bill, says everything is alright that I just need to eat more but it's difficult to force myself to eat only to run to the nearest restroom and throw my insides out." Sometimes, she would relay an amusing anecdote from her life. In some emails, she would express worry how she is going to take are of her child when her bondmate and her Starfleet friends are completely ignoring her but obviously, part of her still held some hope. In quick succession there were emails about her bond being broken and about the warning to stop harrassing Starfleet officers. It was the last message from her, too, and it was a recorded vid.

She looked terrible, obviously tired and not feeling all that well. "Hello, old man," she said with a weak smile. "Spock broke his bond to me, I suppose he does not want to be tied to that cheating bitch - meaning me - anymore. Would be nice if I was told it's going to happen and when, instead of it happening all of sudden without any warning."

What?! He didn't even warned her about their bond being broken soon? Did he not know it could cause her to loose her child? Her sanity?

"Sam and Aurelan got my back in this, luckily. Anyway," she changed subjects, "I wrote to Spock, Chris and Bones every time I wrote to you, too. Only Bones ever responded, and that was only to tell me to fuck off. Starfleet gave me a warning, so I'm going to stop writing these messages altogether. Sorry for possibly taking your time, old man." She smiled sadly. "Was nice knowing you, old friend."

He needed to look for her, no matter that his counterpart's father would surely disapprove.

Her tracks were quite well covered; it took him quite a long time to hack into all kinds of databases to find where she resided now. He found update that she gave birth to a healthy boy, and currenly had been staying in Riverside. Then it was just matter of few days to get his things together, find the means of transport and get to Riverside. She looked surprised to see him, and he could clearly see the hurt in her face as they gazed at each other. But then she run to him, hugged him tight and held him as if her life depended on that.

As he cradled the child, S'tark Tiberius Kirk, in his arms, he couldn't help but think how foolish his young counterpart is. And if Jane's watery smile said anything, it was only her agreement with his statement.

Danny O'Donell

The whole of Riverside buzzed with anticipation when they received the news - Enteprise will be docking there soon. Finally, they will get the opportunity to show the damned Starfleet bastards who's the boss here. But Jane prohibited them to do anything, much to their outrage, saying that she thanks them for the support but she would like to try to deal with them first.

Danny had seen her discussing this with that ancient Vulcan, or that Romulan guy; both men clearly protesting against her plan. Jane didn't change her opinion - although when her former crewmates caused rather distateful scene in the parlour, Danny himself had been tempted to throw them out.

"I hope you got surveilance cameras in here, Danny," told him the other waiter quietly when she went to take their orders. "Otherwise we will have to cause another scene somewhere where they got them."

Pavel Chekov

Chekov went with his colleagues, when they asked him to go with them for a pizza. It was surprise of his life to see his Captain - no, his former Captain - to stand by their table, waiting for their orders.

He never felt as ashamed by what people around were doing as he felt then. It made him doubt who was the one to perform conduit unbecoming a Starfleet officer here, as he rushed out of the parlour, ears aflame.

Maiek Riuurren

When Jane told him about her plan to sue the bastards who wronged her, he offered her his full support. It was her right to try for revenge and his privilege to offer help. It also helped him to gather his courage to 'ask her out', as the Terran saying went, and although she seemed doubtful of his understanding of what 'going out' means, she agreed.

He spend the rest of the day before their date by trying to pick the perfect flowers for her, and had the pleasure to see her in a dress, blushing at every compliment he paid to her.

Spock Prime

There were many things in this time which made Prime feel 'out of the loop'. One of them had been that Jim Kirk he knew in his reality was Jane Kirk in this one. It definitely surprised him to meet her on Delta Vega - but the spirit in the body, no matter how different, remained the same - courageous, bright and caring.

Another thing was that young Spock was supposed to be sterile. Prime was many things - but sterile was definitely not one of them, so when Jane asked him whether he ever had children, all he could say was 'yes'. His son Zar, offspring which came from his coupling with Zarabeth, showed quite clearly in his eyes that he was virile. He provided samples to testing as Jane asked him, to prove his point.

That point indeed had been proved. He had been virile, and very much so. The Vulcan scientist just obviously didn't thought it necessary to test young Spock on his fertility with other races, humans in particular. That was a huge error on their side, quite unexcusable one at that, and Jane and her lawyer thought it a good point to bring to light on the court. He couldn't do otherwise than fully agree to that. He also spent many hours by helping them hone the charges, making each argument as 'bullet-proof' as he could.

He also found it amusing how jealously protective of Jane had been her Romulan suitor. When Spock met him, he was distinctly reminded of Romulan Commander from his own time. "In a different reality, I could have called you friend," that one told them before he destroyed his ship. It looked to Spock that the different reality had indeed come. "You do not need to be so protective of Jane in front of me, Ambassador," he told him once, when Jane left them to get some refreshment ready for meeting with her lawyer. "I'm just an old friend of Jane's, and have no intention of stealing her from you."

The Romulan man flushed at his words - but afterwards, he seemed much more at peace around him.

Then came time when Jane had enough evidence in her hands and they could get the ball running, as the saying went.

Samuel T. Cogley

It was probably wrong to enjoy pressing charges against decorated heroes, but when he remembered all the evidence he had to go through in his preparation, he felt more resolved to lead the court till the victorious end.

I thought you were changed woman.

Get the fuck out of my sickbay.

Obviously, I was wrong.

I wouldn't have taken you for a player.

Jane Tabitha Kirk is to be dishonorably discharged for conduit unbecoming a Starfleet Captain.

Adulteress.

Whore.

Shouldn't you work at, I don't know, bawdy-house?

It was his idea to call the worst of tabloids - since they wanted to cause one hell of a ruckus right before they pressed the charges, it was the only way. It felt like irony to him that the tabloid which had been the first among those who threw filth on Jane had been the first to fight tooth and nail for cleaning her name again.

Jane Tabitha Kirk - Unfairly Dishonorably Discharged! Read more at pages 5 - 20!

Starfleet wanted to stop them (they even sent Pike, the guy who recruited Jane, to offer them out-of-court settlement) - but once they got it rolling, there would be no stopping them now. "Ladies and gentlemen, I'm Samuel T. Cogley, Jane T. Kirk's attorney at this court, and I'm here to prove that she had been dishonorably discharged for all the wrong reasons."

Maiek Riuurren

He asked her to marry him that day. He had been nervous two days prior the proposing itself, and her shocked reaction definitely didn't ease his mind. The very fact that she didn't give him her answer, instead asking him dozens of questions didn't ease his mind.

But when she asked him to stay that night, he simply couldn't refuse and spent the night with her in his arms.

Leonard McCoy

When he first read the headlines in Seal of Federation (as Jocelyn so helpfully pointed him to that), he felt as if someone punched him in the gut. He tried to load all the emails Jane sent him after her discharge. He found only the last one, as he deleted the previous ones, and they couldn't be reloaded from the database.

"My doctor says the baby is growing as can be expected. He says that in month he will be able to do full scan for possible defects and also his exact DNA. I thought you should know, Bones."

He remembered the day he received this email. He answered that she better leave him the fuck alone or he'll make sure she gets herself in one hell of a trouble. She never emailed him again after that. And now his own blindness came to bite him in the ass, since Jocelyn sent him another message.

"Decision of the court at matters of Mr McCoy versus Mrs McCoy is that Mr McCoy's visitation rights are to be revoked, due to him not being proper parent role to his daughter."

Sarek

If Vulcans showed their emotions, or even confessed they still have them, Sarek would say he's furious. He just couldn't decide whom he's furious at - if Elder Selek or his son Spock; first one for siding with accuser, the other one for giving opportunity for the charges to appear. He knew his son had his own mind when it came to most things, and he should have noticed the scientists didn't run full scalle of fertility tests for his son, but it was too late now.

Not for the first time in years he wished for Amanda to be here with him or instead of him. She would have known what to do.

Spock

It came as a punch when Doctor McCoy stormed into his quarters and threw him a PAD with Seal of Federation opened. He was father. He was father of a healthy boy, and he abandoned mother of his child in anger, broke their bond and threatened her with harrassment charges. He has to make it right, he thought, opening his mailbox, starting a new email to her, as did them all.

The only answer they received had been. "Please refrain from contacting Jane Tabitha Kirk again," signed by Samuel Cogley, had been their only answer.

Pavel Chekov

When he looked at it unbiased, it came as rather unsurprising that the whole senior crew, previously serving under Captain Kirk, now serving under Captain Spock, was charged with things like emotional abuse, neglect, attemp at bodily harm and conspiracy against their Captain. Because that's what it was, right? Refusing any kind of contact with her, giving her cold shoulder, nearly killing her by reprogramming her personal replicator with dishes she was allergic to...

And he let it all happen, when he could stood up for her. He may have not sign the letter against her, he may have not reprogrammed her replicator, he may have not been emotionally abusive... But he neglected the person who was his mentor. From them all, he was the only one who stood up and said "guilty."

Maiek Riuurren

Maiek could say the trial was starting to wear Jane down with all the dirty laundry (as they said here on Earth) flying all around; she looked haggard, slept badly and ate only enough to survive. After one exceptionally bad day she asked him when they were having dinner: "Why do you think I would be a good wife to you, Maiek?"

He had been waiting for that question ever since he proposed. He rose from his place and went over to kneel in front of her, taking her hands in his. "Because you are loyal. Because once you get your mind about something, you are determined to stick by it till the very end. Because you are so very beautiful. Because of your intelligence.." He paused before he made his final point. "And because I love you."

She told him yes that day, making him the happiest man in Federation space.

Samuel T. Cogley

The final day of the whole trial came at last - all of them had been already tired by the endless arguing about point and contra-points for absolutely everything. Starfleet tried - if he were coining a phrase, quite logically - to keep its nice and shiny public image, but as the trial progressed, the nice and shiny image started to crumble under weight of the evidence. He was told that quite a few cadets left Academy, when some things came to light, and he certainly couldn't blame them for doing so.

He managed to secure Jane the right to deliver the closing speech, and it was marvel to watch her come from the separate room, air of confidence around her, as she looked over her former colleagues and started speaking, her voice carrying through the whole room. And her last words, "personally I couldn't care less about you now - I'm content to have my husband-to-be and my son"... yeah, that definitely was nice punchline, delivered right before she walked out of the room again, leaving quite a chaos in her wake. He was so proud of his client.

It was almost too satisfying to win this trial, but that didn't bother him at all. The offenders were to be punished, wrongs righted (as much as was possible at this stage), and he had a good feeling about all of this. Not to mention he loved going to weddings, oh yes.

Spock

The whole trial had been one big revelation of failure. Vulcan scientists failed at their testing. Sarek failed at his fatherly duties to ensure he got complete results. He failed at his mate's duty to ensure his mate was taken care of and happy, his offspring provided for.

Listening to Jane's closing speech, he felt - deservedly - like the worst possible being the whole galaxy. At the end of her speech she just looked over them coldly and smiled. "But you know what? Personally I couldn't care less about you now - I'm content to have my husband-to-be and my son."

As he listened to the verdict of the court, he kept on thinking. There were many partial failings working in here - but at the end, the final failing had been completely his own, and it cost him first his bondmate and now his child. Because as the court ruled, full custody was given to the mother.

Spock Prime

Wedding of Jane and Maiek had been stuff from a fairy tale, Spock was sure the saying went. Blushing bride, squeeing little boy, proud groom, smilling faces of everyone invited. Of course, it caused quite a scandal, wedding between Federation hero and Romulan Ambassador, but no one let that spoil the good spirit of the whole event.

Maiek Riuurren

It still filled him with wonder to wake up beside his wife every morning. It must be fate, that thing which was so illogical to his Vulcan cousins, but acceptable to humans and Romulans alike. There were arguments and sharp words between them during the years they had been together, since it was to be expected they will encounter matters they won't agree on, given their completely different upbringing - but they were able to find a compromise acceptable to both of them every time (sometimes he disccreetly thought that the ability to find a compromise must come from her captaincy and his being an ambassador). One of these things they argued about had been his reaction to unknown men in her proximity. After he growled at two of them, Jane gave him silent treatment for a week before he promised to keep his overprotective urges back.

Throughout the years, they travelled all over the known space, visiting conferences of all kinds, meeting many new and interesting people. His son (he may have not been of his blood, but that didn't make him any less his son) grew 'like a weed' (the Terrans sure did have strange idioms), and if half of what Jane told him about her own childhood was true, he was a true Kirk with all the trouble he seemed to attract. His mind was like a sponge; absorbing every bit of knowledge, wanting to know everything about... well, everything.

"Father?" S'tark asked him once. "Is it true that you are not my real father?"

With Jane they explained him the situation surrounding his birth, Jane showing him bits of trial, and he in turn telling him he first met her, how he held him for the first time, how he proposed, how she accepted and how they got married at last.

"Father, I... would you..." S'tark hesitated, something unusual to him, "would you be disappointed, if I wanted to meet my biological father?"

Now, that was curious question, one Maiek had to give a serious thought to. Would it bother him? After all, Commander, now Captain Spock, didn't leave the best impression on him with the way he treated Jane - did he want to allow his son into his proximity now? Yet... it was his son's right to see the man who was his biological father.

"I'll see what I can do about that, S'tark," he said instead, smilling slightly at the way S'tark's eyes lit up at those words.

It showed to be easier than he thought, to ensure S'tark will meet Captain Spock. Babel Conference - he was invited already, and he only needed to pull some strings to make sure that it will be Enterprise, who will carry them there. Jane herself seemed thrilled at the idea of travelling at her former ship - although he made sure he didn't let it slip that it was his doing and not some coincidence (he was sure she didn't dealt with that part of her life properly yet - he had no guarantees she would take kindly the knowledge that he forced his way on board of the flagship). It felt too good to see Jane's former officers to gape at them, Jane smirking smugly at his side and S'tark curiously looking around.

'This will be one hell of a curious journey,' he thought. And as the Murphy's laws, the ones Jane had so fondly reffered often to, said - be careful what you wish for, because the journey showed maybe a bit too adventurous.

But that was different tale for diffferent time.