Stardate 2947.3 (1/2267)
Starbase 11
One of the base's lounges
4:30 PM

James T. Kirk took a deep breath, his mind going back over the whirlwind of activity that had been
happening over the past few days.

During a sudden ion storm, the Enterprise has sustained considerable damage and gone to Red Alert.
That had been bad enough, but during the alert he'd been forced to make the gut wrenching decision
to eject a research pod containing one of his officers, Lieutenant Commander Benjamin Finney, to prevent
the destruction of the ship.

Following the tragedy the Enterprise had made its way to the nearest base, Starbase 11, for repairs.
And that's when things had truly been thrown into a tailspin.

Station commander, Commodore Stone, while reviewing the ship's records had seemingly discovered
that Kirk had ejected the pod while the ship was at Yellow Alert and not yet in serious danger.

Worse, Stone had researched and uncovered the complex relationship between him and Finney.
Years before they had both served together aboard the USS Republic. At one point, Finney had made
a mistake concerning the anti-matter system, which would have destroyed the Republic had the ship
gone to warp. Fortunately, Kirk had noticed the mistake, corrected it and noted it in the ship's log.
As a result, Finney had been officially reprimanded and sent to the bottom of the promotion list.
Ever since then Finney had harbored a grudge against him and blamed him for keeping his career
at a standstill.

Based on the ship's records and their troubled past, Stone had suspected him of intentionally killing Finney.

Stone had asked him to voluntarily step down, but he had disputed the allegations and demanded a trial.
He had then spoken to Lieutenant Areel Shaw, a Starfleet Judge Advocate General officer, and a former
girlfriend, to seek legal advice. She had informed him that she had already been assigned to prosecute him.

He had wound up getting legal representation from another.

"You have to be either an obsessive crackpot who's escaped from his keeper, or Samuel T. Cogley,
Attorney at Law.'

"Right on both counts. Need a lawyer?"

Samuel T. Cogley. Kirk smiled inwardly as he thought of his lawyer. The man was one of the most eccentric
men he'd ever met, but when it came to law he was brilliant and none more impassioned.

At the trial it had been discovered that Finney was still alive. That he had, in fact, faked his death in order
to frame Kirk.

He had been cleared of all charges and repairs were continuing on the Enterprise. They were scheduled
to depart the day after tomorrow.

He had been up to his eyebrows in reports and going over things with Spock, but he had decided to take
a quick break. He could have headed to one of the officer's lounges, but this one had been closest and above
all, was quiet, which was exactly what he wanted right now. To take a few minutes to sit down and once again
simply process everything that had happened.

A former friend had betrayed him. Because of old grudges…blame… and inability to forgive. And many had
believed that that he had murdered him. Had believed him to be guilty.

"Captain Kirk?"

He looked up to see two small-statured crewmembers in blue uniforms standing near him. Nlian his mind supplied.

"Can I help you, crewmen?" he asked.

The female, a dark skinned woman with large vivid green eyes, shook her head. "No, Captain.
We noticed you sitting there and we just wanted to congratulate you about the trial's outcome."

Ah yes. The entire Starbase had been talking about it.

The male, Caucasian in appearance and with large blue eyes, spoke. "We heard everyone talking about it.
Speculating."

"But we never thought that you were guilty, sir" the woman said softly.

Kirk nodded. "Thank you. I don't believe that we've met."

The woman smiled. "Crewmen Shylea L'Naym, sir." She took the male's hand. "And this is my lifemate,
Crewman Tuskaro Alyen."

"I see." It was now Kirk's turn to smile. "And are you Science or Medical?"

"I work in the Medical section, sir," Alyen answered. "Shylea works in the botanic labs."

"I see. Sounds nice and peaceful." His expression turned rueful. "Take my word for it, it's a lot more peaceful
than a Captain's job."

"I'm sure it is." L'Naym's expression turned serious. "But I'm also sure that being a Captain has its joys as well
as its burdens. Otherwise you would never have sought it."

Kirk raised his eyebrows, impressed with her insight. "Very true, Crewman. Very true."

And it was. Despite everything that had happened. Despite all the trials he had been through in life, he couldn't
imagine any life other than him as Captain of the Enterprise.

"How long have you both been in Starfleet?" he asked out of curiosity.

Alyen answered. "Ten years. We both joined back in 57' and entered the training program for enlisted personnel.
After our training we were assigned to Starbase 2."

Kirk's eyebrows raised. "Starbase 2? My father served there as Chief of Security when I was a boy."

Alyen nodded. "We were there for four years and then in 62' we were transferred here to Starbase 11.
We've been here ever since."

"Never been on a ship?"

"No, although we've been on a lot of trips to other worlds. But staying in one place has its advantages.
We came to think of Starbase 2 as a small city in space. And Starbase 11 is really fascinating.
When you're located on of the key administrative facilities of the Quadrant, there's always
something interesting going on." She smiled. "As my lifemate would say, "You never know what's
around the next river bend."

Kirk chuckled. Surprised at how easy it was talking to two strangers and enlisted crewmen at that.

"And being on a starbase has other advantages;" Alyen put in. "It's a good place to raise a family."

"You have children?"

"Yes, sir. Two. Our son's five and our daughter's three."

"Congratulations." Children. That was something that there definitely wasn't room for in his life.

His expression turned thoughtful. "So, you never thought that I was guilty? Even though we'd never met?"

"We knew about you, of course," L'Naym answered. "I think everyone in Starfleet knows about Captain
James T. Kirk. But we just…it's hard to explain." She paused. "It was just a feeling. We've seen footage
of you and in it we saw the captain, but we also saw the man. And the man didn't strike either of us as
someone who would murder someone."

Kirk was silent for a moment. "Thank you, Crewman. That…means a lot."

"Bridge, to Captain Kirk."

Kirk started slightly at the sound of his comm, then pulled it out. "Kirk here."

"Captain," came Spock's voice. "Could you join me in Engineering? Mr. Scott had some additional matters
that he needed to discuss with you regarding repairs."

"On my way, Mr. Spock."

He closed his comm and he stood up. "Well, I need to go. I need to go see what's around the river bend."
He chuckled and the two Nlians gave gentle smiles.

"It was an honor to meet you, Captain Kirk," Alyen said quietly.

"You too, Crewmen."

As he walked out of the room toward the closest transport padd, Kirk kept thinking about the two Nlian crewmen.
They had only met briefly and he doubted that he would see them again.

But he knew that he wouldn't forget them.

NOTES
Takes place after TOS episode 'Court Martial'
Season 1: Episode 20