Title: Family

Time Setting: At the end of Star Trek IV but before the court-martial

Codes: Kirk, McCoy and the rest of the original crew.

Summary: The crew contemplates their fate prior to the Court Martial.

Disclaimer: Star Trek and characters are Paramount's property, I have written this story for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. Any original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author.

Copyright 2005

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Chapter 1

Jim Kirk pulled Spock free of his perch on the ladder and they both tumbled into the San Francisco Bay. Jim laughed with almost boyish glee. After what they had been through with Khan, Spock's death and rebirth, David's death, the destruction of the Enterprise, the near destruction of the Earth and the trip to Earth's past; they all deserved a few minutes of pure joy.

George and Gracie frolicked in the bay and gradually worked their way out to the open ocean. These two whales would be safe as an entire world would protect and cherish the two beings who saved Earth from destruction.

Jim rolled on his back and floated comfortably as he watched the sun come out and glisten through the last of the rain drops. They all gasped at the perfect double rainbow which appeared over them. Jim's view of the rainbow was obstructed by the passage of a Starfleet shuttle as it circled and prepared to pick them up.

"Well that really kills the moment," Jim muttered as he rolled over and swam to the Klingon ship and pulled himself onto the ledge.

Spock looked around and noticed Jim standing on the ledge watching the shuttle work its way closer to them. A shadow moved across his face, a look which said their time of freedom would soon be over. Spock swam to Jim's side. "I'll join you if you can guarantee I will not find myself
back in the water again." Kirk smiled down at Spock and offered his hand. After a brief moment of consideration, Spock grabbed Jim's hand and pulled himself onto the ledge. They stood in companionable silence while the shuttle drew closer.

"Spock."

"Yes, . . . Jim."

Kirk smiled at hearing Spock call him by his first name. "Would you do me a favor?"

"Certainly, if it is within my ability."

"Ask your father to place Gillian under the protection of the Vulcan embassy."

At Spock's raised eyebrow, Jim explained, "I don't want Starfleet to treat her like an oddity of the past. With Vulcan's protection, I know she will be treated with respect instead of being studied like a lab rat."

"It was her choice to accompany us."

"And, it is our duty to protect her."

"Indeed! I believe my father would be honored to assist."

The shuttle rescued the crew of the HMS Bounty/former Enterprise crew. At Starfleet Headquarters, Sarek greeted Spock with barely concealed relief on his face. He was introduced to Gillian Taylor and agreed to take her under the wing of the Vulcan Embassy. The rest of the crew was escorted away by security.

Spock and Sarek spent the next several days offering assistance and lobbying for support from Federation delegates and Starfleet personnel.

Instead of the brig which they had anticipated, Kirk, McCoy, Uhura, Scotty, Chekov and Sulu were sequestered in Starfleet guest quarters. At first, they were relieved to be together but a jail cell is still a jail cell when there is a guard at the door. The mood was tense as they decided as a group to plead guilty to all charges. Initially, Jim tried to convince everyone to let him take the blame. He received a very strong reaction from his team. Chekov said it best when he stated, "Admiral, I'm no longer a raw ensign. I did not follow you blindly. Ve each made our own decision. Do not lessen the sacrifices ve made." Jim looked at each of his former crew members and friends, no, more than friends, and he realized Chekov was right.

The tension of days of waiting caused the group to break up and contemplate their fate. Sulu paced, Scotty tried to read a technical journal, Uhura and Chekov talked quietly in the kitchen area. Jim stood by the window and watched the gentle rain hit the window as he gazed at the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance.

Bones walked up beside him. "Chekov was right. They each made their own decision. You and I had no choice but to go to Genesis but they chose to help us."

"I know Bones. I guess it is just a long-standing habit to try and protect my crew."

"I don't think you can this time."

"I know, I know." They both turned as they heard the door open to admit Admiral Harry Morrow, former Fleet Commander of Starfleet. When Jim made no move to acknowledge him, the Admiral moved to stand by him at the window. Bones moved away to give them some privacy.

"It is an amazing sight from here, but we could do without the rain," Harry commented as he tried to break the ice.

"Get to the point, Harry. Did Abe send you?" Jim was referring to Abraham Lincoln Cartwright the current Fleet Commander of Starfleet. Harry Morrows' tenure as Fleet Commander had ended shortly after they had arrived on Vulcan with Spock. Jim first met Abe Cartwright and Harry Morrow in his Academy days. He and Harry had hit it off immediately, but he had never really
liked Abe Cartwright. Jim found him too rigid in his thinking and not open to new ideas. Abe's command of a constitution class ship had been short. Jim was not surprised as he knew from his own experience, a Captain had to adapt quickly to new situations. But, as always, Abe had landed on his feet and had been promoted upward.

"Yes he did. He is very busy at the moment."

"I'll bet." They had been allowed visitors and there was talk that the current Fleet Commander would be forced to step down.

"He is not only dealing with the mess this Probe left, he is dealing with the mess you created."

Jim stared at Harry, "The mess I created?"

"Yes, if you had come back, right after dropping Spock off at Vulcan, I might have been able to help you and avoid our current problems."

Jim interrupted, "I didn't risk my entire career to just drop Spock off. I couldn't leave until I knew Spock and Bones were okay."

Harry stared at their reflections in the window. "Couldn't, or wouldn't?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yes it does. Not only did you break a ship load of rules and regulations and destroy the Enterprise, you nearly caused a rift between the Federation and the Vulcan people."

Jim turned to glare at Harry. "I think Cartwright did that on his own when he threatened to send troops to Mt. Seleya to drag us back. Do you know how hard you have to work to piss off all of Vulcan? Thanks to Abe, the Vulcans offered us asylum. The first time in their history they have offered to protect non-Vulcans and humans to boot." Jim turned back to the window.
"But, Vulcan is a little too hot for my blood."

"Jim, Vulcan threatened to withdraw from the Federation. Do you realize the seriousness of that situation if it had happened? If Vulcan withdrew, many other planets would have left as well. What would the Klingons and the Romulans have done? Abe went ballistic at the thought of the Klingons getting a foot hold in Federation territory."

"That wouldn't be my first choice either but it is no longer my problem Harry. And I repeat, I'm not the one who threatened to invade Vulcan with troops. When will we be brought before the Federation council?" They both turned at the sound of the door opening. Spock and Gillian took in the tense nature of the situation and moved to Jim's side.

Harry ignored their approach and said, "Okay, you will be brought before the Federation Council in three days. But, tomorrow you and your crew are scheduled to be interviewed by Starfleet Medical."

Jim gave Harry a sidelong glance, "Why?"

"Jim just cooperate for once. It might help in the long run."

"Really! Are you telling me Starfleet hasn't already decided our fate? They had several weeks to mull that one over."

"I don't know what the Federation Council has decided at this point. I'm here to ask you to cooperate with Starfleet Medical."

Spock interrupted, "I would assume the council is taking into consideration Jim's actions in saving this planet from the Probe's attack. Without his actions Starfleet would have been underwater and possibly irreparably crippled."

"Ambassador Sarek most eloquently presented a defense of all charges."

Bones' suspicious nature forced him to interrupt. "Okay, let's get back to Starfleet Medical. Who wants to talk to us and why?"

Admiral Morrow did his best not to squirm and to look Bones in the eyes but failed. "The Psychiatric Branch of Starfleet Medical is scheduled to interview each of you individually."

Bones snorted, "If Webber is still in charge of that section of Starfleet Medical then heaven help us because they're going to throw the book at us."

Admiral Morrow turned toward Bones, "Whatever report we receive will be well after the Council's decision is announced. The report will have no bearing on the Councils final decision."

Jim cut off Bones' reply as he foresaw a sarcastic remark coming. "What's behind this interview if not at the Council's request?"

"Let's just say that Starfleet is a little shook up with six career officers throwing their commissions away and blatantly disobeying orders. And, they want to know why?"

"Of course, independent thinkers can't be allowed in Starfleet." Bones was perched on the edge of a tirade.

Gillian interrupted Bones this time. "Jim, I'm very grateful for all you did to help bring me to this wonderful future. Please cooperate if it will help you in the long run."

Gillian was another problem Starfleet was not happy about. "You Ms. Taylor are another problem for Jim."

"I don't believe so, Admiral. Ms. Taylor is now a Vulcan citizen and no concern of Starfleet." Spock managed to shock Admiral Morrow with that information.

Harry managed to close his mouth and recover his demeanor. "Nevertheless, you brought a person from the past and may have changed our present."

"Admiral, we would have been aware of any changes in this time line upon our return. No such changes were created." Very few people are willing to challenge Spock's statements of fact.

Gillian jumped into the conversation again. "Please Jim, you helped me, now help your self and do what they ask. At this point cooperating can only help your situation."

Jim smiled at Gillian and nodded his head. "Very well." Jim turned to Morrow, "Harry, I will cooperate but it's up to everybody else whether they will agree to the interviews." By now the others had gathered around and they shrugged their shoulders in resignation.