"Incoming call from USS Yorktown, sir." Admiral Pike looked up from his endless pile of paperwork to acknowledge the ensign that had spoken to him.
"I'll take it, Connors," he said briefly. With his nod of dismissal, he swiveled around to face the viewscreen. It was always good to hear from his former XO, now Captain of the Yorktown, particularly since he hadn't had a conversation with Number One since...Jamie had gone missing. After seven months, her absence was like an infected wound that could not heal because there was no certainty of what had happened to her. She had taken a shuttle out for a quick meeting on a Starfleet outpost and never come back.
The Enterprise had been forced to continue its mission with Spock as acting captain after a month of active searching for the shuttle or its remains. Smaller ships were still being sent out to sweep the area occasionally, but Starfleet didn't have enough evidence to tie up their flagship for so long in a fruitless search.
He hated hearing people offer sympathies for his loss because he was nowhere near ready to believe she was dead without concrete proof. Was he in denial? Maybe, but something in his gut kept telling him otherwise.
He flipped on the screen to see Number One's familiar face looking back at him.
"Long time no see or hear, Captain," he greeted her.
"Likewise, Admiral," she responded. "I will get directly to the matter at hand, since it concerns a person you are familiar with."
Now that was enigmatic. Chris frowned but motioned her to continue.
"Three days ago, we received s distress call from a small Romulan type vessel. They explained they were outcasts from their home planet due to their decision to follow the principals of Surak. The leader, who identified himself as Sha'al, said they had with them a human who'd been stranded near their camp some months ago and needed medical attention, as she was found to be pregnant and soon to deliver."
"And?" Chris prompted, still wondering where she was going with this.
"The woman in question is your wife, Jamie T. Kirk," Number One said calmly.
The Admiral nearly fell out of his chair.
"Jamie? She's with you? Alive? And pregnant?" He croaked out, trying to remember how to breathe.
"Yes, she is," smiled Captain One. "And I have just been informed the baby has safely arrived. Congratulations, Christopher."
He was gaping like a fish in his shock and wonder, which amused Number One greatly, judging by the almost smile in her face.
"Where the heck are you?" He demanded. "If I have to commandeer a ship to get there, I will."
"I've no doubt, Admiral," she said dryly and graciously gave him the coordinates. Thankfully, they weren't a prohibitive distance from earth and he figured he could get there in a few hours, give or take.
With a judicious mix of smooth talk, guilt-tripping, intimidation, and rank pulling, he managed to convince the brass he needed to see to the matter himself and managed to get a seat on a small cargo ship that was headed to the Yorktown also.
The whole trip to his old stomping grounds, Chris was tense and tight lipped, longing for Jamie and worrying about the condition she was in, after being stranded who-knows-where for so long. And the baby? He was still trying to wrap his head around that detail.
Fatherhood hadn't exactly been in the cards-or so he'd thought. Considering their combined medical histories, conceiving was considered practically impossible. Frustrated as he would be to not be able to be there for her during the pregnancy, it was a small price to pay to have her alive and safe. The fight he'd had to put up to stop Komack declaring her dead had been exhausting.
Being warned in advance, no one got in his way as he prepared to beam aboard the Yorktown.
"Welcome aboard, sir," the captain greeted him as he stepped off the transporter pad. "Captain Kirk is in a private room in sickbay. Doctor Boyce wants her and the little one there for a few more days."
Little one. Chris wasn't sure he'd believe it until he saw it.