1

Leiani had long ago forgotten her exact century of origin, but she never forgot who she was, where she came from, or what her ultimate purpose was. She was, and had been for many years, a Federation Time Agent, patrolling the many entangled threads of the time-space continuum and repairing damage if possible, monitoring whatever changes were made by time-travel. Most incidences of time-travel were unintentional, unintrusive, and some were in the better interest of future events themselves. However, her latest assignment was one that would have devastating consequences no matter how hard she tried to keep the timelines stable. When the Vulcan science ship and the Romulan mining ship both vanished into the black hole, Leiani cursed in all six languages she knew. It was uncharacteristic of a Vulcan to resort to the Human practice of coarse language, but Leiani was only half-Vulcan.

It was the science ship she worried about. She read her scanners, judged the approximate century, and calculated her own time of arrival. Her timeship, the U.S.S. Prince William made it's jump safely and she emerged a little later than she'd wanted but still with time on her hands to act. No one saw her, the Narada was too busy hammering the U.S.S. Kelvin.

"Computer, what's the stardate?" she asked the usual question and got an unusual response.

"Current stardate is 2233.04, Captain Leiani."

"That puts me somewhere in the 23rd century, then." She eyed the battered, suffering Kelvin and noticed a number of smaller vessels moving away. Escape shuttles? Wise captain, evacuating his crew.

"Computer, scan Kelvin for life-signs and plot it's trajectory onscreen."

"One life-sign aboard U.S.S. Kelvin. Current trajectory on collision course with Romulan Narada." That wasn't good news. She looked at her scanners again and saw that the damage to the Kelvin was so severe a stiff wind could have blown it apart. She watched, forgetting how to breathe, as the Kelvin turned towards and accelerated into the Narada. Its current course wouldn't destroy the Narada, but it would certain do the mining ship severe damage. Leiani's fingers flew across the controls of the Prince William and she only let herself relax when the transporters deposited a Human Starfleet officer in the rear compartment of her ship. She pulled away and went to warp before the Narada would see them. A groan from the back of the ship brought her attention to the present and she unbuckled her harness, going back to find the officer sprawled on the floor, face-down. Fetching her standard-issue first-aid kit, Leiani looked up.

"Computer, put the Prince William on auto-pilot."

"Yes, Captain. Auto-pilot engaged." She heaved a sigh of relief and opened her kit. Pulling out the tri-corder, she scanned the Kelvin's officer. No real serious damage, just a few scrapes, bruises, and minor burns. He had a minor concussion, but that was the worst of the damage. His heart-rate was off the charts, she was not surprised by that. She gave him an injection of a stimulant and waited for his eyes to open. He came around with a violence she had not seen in a long time, and she used her superior strength to hold him still.

"My wife! Where is my wife! Is she safe?"

"Yes." She looked at him, "Who are you?"

"George Kirk, Commander, U.S.S. Kelvin."

"Where is your captain?" she asked gently. Commander Kirk grew very quiet. She understood then that the Kelvin's captain was no longer among the living and likely had not been for quite some time now. She slipped one arm under his shoulders, "Can you stand?"

"What is this place?"

"You're aboard the U.S.S. Prince William."

"The what?"

"You're aboard a timeship, Commander, one of only three of its kind." She helped him stand and guided him into the cockpit.

"Where did you…come from?"

"That's a good question. I've been so many times and places I can't remember my century of origin." She helped him into the navigator's chair.

"Can you at least tell me your name?"

"My name is Leiani." She slid into the pilot's chair and buckled in.

"You're…V-Vulcan?" he had gotten a good look at her face.

"Half, actually. My father was Human, but I don't remember my parents, or any family I might have had."

"That doesn't seem fair. Where are we going?"

"Back to Earth. We'll get there long before your shuttles make it back, I have a few things need doing to make sure you stay out of trouble."

"Like what?"

"Changing your name." She entered coordinates and went to warp. Very little was said during the journey to Earth, Commander Kirk slept for most of it. Once they reached Earth, she made the necessary changes, sealing George Kirk's Starfleet records and assembling a new civilian entry under the name David Horn. Then she promptly took the newly-renamed Horn to Vulcan, where she knew he would be safe from Starfleet. For all anyone knew, George Kirk was dead, he had died saving the Kelvin's surviving crew. Leiani remained on Earth, watching over Horn's family for him as part of a bargain.


When Horn's son James was eleven years old, he stole his step-father's antique 20th century car and took it for a joyride. He wrecked the car in an Iowa quarry and was arrested for driving without a license or a permit, theft of private property, and willful destruction of said property. The local authorities took him in and called his family. His stepfather took James home and promptly beat the boy for destroying a priceless antique and prized possession. James, naturally, ran away from home. Over the years, Leiani had become his only friend, his one constant, and her door was always open to him. She lived just a few miles outside of town, three miles from the Kirk place, so James knew where to find her.


James Kirk ran up the unpaved drive, past the orange trees that lined it, hoping beyond wild hope that Leiani was home today. He needed her to tell him it was okay.

"Leiani!" he cried, "Leiani, come out!" The front door of the old-fashioned house flew open and Leiani ran out onto the drive, clearing her front-steps in a single leap.

"James! What happened?"

"Leiani, you've gotta help me!" he wailed, hiding his face in her tunic, "He's gonna kill me!" Leiani held him close, stroking his hair as he panicked.


As she heard the frightened voice, Leiani knew James Kirk had come running. She went out to him and found him a mess. He was afraid Steven would find him and kill him. Leiani cradled the boy, knowing she had to take him to the hospital. Wrapping him in blankets, she drove to the hospital, and then waited for hours before someone would talk to her. The first person to approach her was a hospital social worker.

"Captain Leiani?"

"Oh, good morning, Chancy." Leiani knew the social worker rather well and got up, "How is he?"

"He's just coming out of surgery. There was some pretty serious internal damage. What happened?"

"Have you read the police reports?"

"Twice."

"Nothing I can tell you was left out of the reports."

"Captain, Human Services needs to place James Kirk in a safe, nurturing home for a few years, perhaps permanently."

"I'll keep him, Chancy. Better than sending him home to...well, I need not express my personal opinions of his step-father." Leiani clasped her hands behind her back and smiled tensely. Chancy just nodded.

"I was kind of hoping you'd say that. He's a good kid, he just needs somebody to take care of him."

"May I see him?"

"Of course." Chancy smiled and led the way. Leiani didn't miss the way James's face lit up when they told him that he would be staying with her from now on. It was the right thing to do, the logical thing to do.