A/N: Bonjour! This is an attempt at a Fem!Kirk. Obviously, she's paired with Spock, because, well... But anyways, you may wonder some things while you're reading, like why she goes by Anne rather than by her given name, but all will be revealed with time. Patience, you will find out, I promise. Also, I'm an AP student, so my schedule can be very weird, so updates may be sporadic, but I will try to keep a somewhat normal update schedule for your sakes. I appreciate you all taking your time to read this, and I love feedback, even if it's just to say how much you hate it or love it. As of now, this is rated T, but due to language and later abuse, the rating may change, I will consider this when I feel I need to. I'd like to thank my Beta: G0ldf1sh101 and my older sister for their input and help. This has been inspired by many things, such as other fictions I've read, songs, and other books. As I stated in the summary, this is loosely based in some aspects off of Ally Condie's "Matched" series, which I highly recommend to anyone. Thanks again for clicking (or tapping) on my story, I hope you enjoy it. Read on, my friends! And sorry for the long Author's note, I try to keep them short when I write them!

The bright lights of the USS Enterprise's bridge illuminate the crew going about their daily routines, with slight apprehension shown in their slowed movements. First Officer Spock stands next the captain's chair, eyes set ahead on the screen in front of him which shows the lights of stars that they are zooming past at warp speed. In the seat to Spock's right sits a beautiful woman with blue eyes that seem to acknowledge every movement around her. Her name: Captain Anne Kirk, savior of the Earth from the war criminal Nero, and the first-ever captain to complete a five-year mission in deep space, exploring uncharted territories, and female. Being a woman is what Anne was most proud of. Despite the attempts to change their social position in the 2000s, women were still not seen in the same light as men; the light that held courage, honor, dignity, and intelligence.

"Captain, I'm sure that you are well aware that the Enterprise has been unable to contact Starfleet in 2 years, 1 month, 6 days, 10 hours and 1.2 minutes. Do you think it wise to return to Earth without knowing the events that have transpired over this period?" Spock questions his captain.

Anne stands from the chair, straightening her already straight yellow command dress and motions for her first officer to follow her to the captain's ready room. "Chekov, you have the conn," she orders as the two begin their short journey to the small compartment that is called a room, but is in no way big enough to be considered one.

The ready room is quiet and dark, the color scheme consisting of dark browns and blacks, giving a gloomy and ominous feeling. She sits on the edge of her clean desk, looking at Spock who has his hands clasped behind his back, his shoulders rigid. Something's up, Anne thinks as she examines the stunning man in front of her. That feeling never goes away; you know the one where your heart flutters every time you see someone? She gets that whenever she sees her second in command. "Look, Spock. I'm confused as to why Starfleet has failed to respond to our transmissions. Hell, I don't even know if they've gotten them to begin with, but I do know that we are scheduled to be home in 45 minutes, and we are going to be there. I don't know what's on their plates as is, and I don't want to add to the burden they already have by doing what I usually do and blow them off. My decision is final," she says, looking him in the eye.

"Captain, I must advise against it. I believe it is in your best interest to stay away from Earth; it is illogical to," he starts before being abruptly cut off.

"Spock, my decision is final," she repeats firmly, sliding off of her desk and waltzing out of the room, her long blonde ponytail bouncing behind her. Spock just watches her leave, his eyes lingering on her for longer than necessary due to his uncommon state of confusion. She never cuts him off like she just did, and with this, the science officer determines that something has been off about his captain's recent behavior. She has been short-tempered, even more so than usual. Also, it appears as though she has an increased level of anxiety, which may or may not be due to the inability to communicate with Starfleet.

One hour later, the last of the crew is on a small shuttle ready to be transported down to hangar one at Starfleet Headquarters. Anne is the last to go down; she has to make sure that everyone else is off of her ship before leaving herself. She's sitting in the small craft next to Spock, who is eyeing her. To an outsider, it looks as though Spock is merely looking at the blonde-haired woman beside him, but Anne is fully aware that he is worried. What is he so tense about? Her thoughts revolve around the well-being of her friend.

"Hello! I'm Yeoman James and I'll be your flight attendant for your journey down to Earth today," says a woman in the front of the shuttle. She has fiery red hair that's cropped around her face and she's tall, even though she looks like she's 21. Anne looks at the yeoman, and doesn't ever remember seeing yeomen on shuttle flights before. She turns to Bones, who is sitting behind her, mouth agape at the woman in front of them.

"Bones, shut your mouth, you'll catch flies," Anne teases before turning back to face the front.

"Odd," Spock mutters next to her.

"Clarify?" she requests, not understanding where her first officer is going.

"It is most intriguing that there are now flight attendants on small crafts such as this. It is most illogical to employ one to do such an unnecessary task," Spock explains, his voice flat. But Anne can see the gleam of curiosity looming in his beautiful brown eyes. She must admit he does have a valid point. Yeoman James is still standing, which is irking the captain immensely because she just wants to feel the cool breeze on of San Fran on her face again. It had been an agonizing five years, at this rate; Anne would burst if she didn't feel the wind in her hair again, soon.

"Due to new-ish Federation policy, I must take roll before we take off, so here goes," the ginger woman calls people out, making sure that the few remaining people on her list are now being transported down. Dully waiting for her name to be called, Anne sits in the uncomfortable shuttle chair with her legs crossed in front of her. "Captain Kirk, Julie-Anne T.," the yeoman says in a voice that's a bit too peppy for Anne's liking.

"Can we go now?" she asks bitterly in reply, hoping to just get off the damn space dock.

"As a matter of fact Captain, we can," Yeoman James says happily, oblivious to Kirk's blatant disrespect.

The trip from the space dock to hangar one is uneventful. Stepping off of the incredibly small grey ship and walking a bit from the shuttle to avoid creating a traffic jam, Anne stretches when she feels Spock behind her. "Commander," she acknowledges, turning to face him. She sees the remainder of her crew scuttling away in high spirits.

"Admiral Barnett has requested our presence in his office immediately," Spock reports evenly.

"Okay, then," she says, taking off in the direction of the Admiral's office. It takes two strides for Spock to match the pace that his captain has set, which is a slow one. Anne looks around the big, for lack of a better word, warehouse, zoned out from her surroundings and in her own little world.

"Captain, may I suggest that we quicken our pace? The Admiral sounded urgent," Spock notes as Anne sighs. In response to his statement, Anne looks at Spock and begins to walk quicker. Walking through the hallways of Starfleet Headquarters, both note the oddities that line the walls. There are posters of a handsome man called "Our Leader" everywhere. Anne shrugs it off as some new artist who's making his way to the top, but Spock on the other hand, thinks differently, he seems suspicious. They make their way to Barnett's office in silence, both of them walking with their hands behind their backs. Anne notices all of the men that seem to stare at her when she passes by. Spock must notice too because if looks could kill, every guy that had looked at her would be dead as he shot them discreet glares that only Anne noticed because all the passersby had been to pre-occupied staring at her. What's his deal? Anne wonders as she looks at him. Granted, she likes seeing this protective side of him, it's endearingly adorable and sweet, but it's also out of character for him.

"Why are you so…," Anne starts. Spock looks at her, expecting her to finish. He smiles internally when she's at a loss for words and is just motioning with her hands, racking her brain to come up with the right term. "Grrr!" she finishes, looking at him.

"Captain, I do not understand your use of an onomatopoeia to describe my present behavior," Spock comments coolly, looking straight ahead.

"You're being really grouchy." She clarifies as they reach the elevator and Spock presses the button to call it. Those hands, Anne thinks as she watches him. She is thinking of his hands and how they would feel if he just wrapped her up in his arms. She then moves on to think of what kissing him would be like, his soft lips pressed gently to her own when a shrill and demanding ding pulls her from her vivid and inappropriate thoughts.

"Captain?" Spock questions while looking at her. A blush finds its way up her body and into her cheeks as the pair step on to the lift. They stand in an uncomfortable quiet as they make their way up, floor by floor. After what seems to be an eternity to Anne but in all actuality was only thirty seconds, the door hisses open to reveal the bright 110th floor of the large building. Looking around, the pair sights even more "Our Leader" posters that seem to be crawling into every possible space.

Spock leads the way to the Admiral's office as Anne follows mindlessly, her thoughts lingering elsewhere. To be more specific, thoughts lingering on the man in front of her, who suddenly stops which causes the young captain to run into him. Before she can topple to the ground, Spock's warm hands grab her by the waist to steady her. She again blushes, looking at her black combat boots awkwardly as they stand there, his hands still holding her even though she is now fully capable of controlling herself. Anne jumps away from her first officer when the door to their right opens. "Our Leader" then suddenly steps out of the room and looks between the two before smiling at Anne suggestively and walking away without a word.

"Captain, Commander," Barnett says, holding the door open. "Come in, come in," he urges. Anne steps through the doorway, observing the Admiral. Despite his dark skin, he seems pale and tired. The way he holds himself is not as it was before, when he walked around professionally and with purpose. Now, he walks with his shoulders slumped and his pace has decreased greatly.

"Julie-Anne," the Admiral says affectionately, pulling her into a bear hug. Anne stands there, looking around the impeccably white room, unsure of what to think of the sudden physical contact.

"Uh," she grumbles, "you can just call me Anne, you know?" She asks the older man, pulling out of his embrace.

"Why drop the Julie, it's such a beautiful name!" Barnett replies. Anne swears she hears a sound of approval come from Spock, but she doesn't want to point it out.

"I don't know, I guess…" Anne lies. "It just takes too long to say Julie-Anne," she tacks on convincingly, sighing in relief when the Admiral doesn't push the topic.

"I see," the admiral replies while sitting in the white chair behind his desk expectantly. "Sit," he ushers, but both of the Enterprise's crew members remain standing, looking at the frazzled man before them. "I guess I should cut to the chase," Barnett states rhetorically, glancing between the two officers in front of him. "The Federation is not as it was five years ago. It has changed drastically since you and your crew left. I won't go into detail, as it's against the law to do so. I just wanted to tell you both that tonight the Federation will be holding a ceremony for the Enterprise's crew to celebrate your job well done and to look to your future." He stands from his chair, grabbing two manila folders out of a drawer and hands both Anne and Spock one. "Read these, as soon as possible," Barnett orders. "Burn them when you're done," he adds in a whisper. "Understood?" Both officers nod once before they take their leave, confusion written on the captain's face in the wake of this unexpected turn of events.

"Commander, may I speak with you momentarily?" the Admiral asks. Anne just keeps walking with her eyes glued to the folder in her hand, wanting to get back to her personal quarters so that she can read the file as soon as she can while Spock turns back to Barnett. As soon as the door shuts behind the captain, the Admiral begins speaking. "Commander, you are aware of Starfleet's personnel relationship restrictions, am I correct?" He asks in a loud voice.

"Certainly, Admiral," Spock says, looking at Barnett with his eyes betraying his usually emotionless face in puzzlement.

"So you understand that a relationship with your captain would be inappropriate unless deemed otherwise by the board." Barnett confirms.

"I am afraid that I do not understand the direction in which this conversation is moving," Spock says. Suddenly the Admiral's voice drops to a whisper once again.

"Captain Kirk is in grave danger, especially after what I have handed you both. I need you to watch out for her, as I will likely be dead in 24 hours because of the information I have put in those folders, is this understood Commander?" he questions, his voice again taking its usual tone towards the end of his sentence.

"Affirmative." Spock replies, his mind racing with this newly found information.

"Good. I hope to see you tonight at the ceremony," the Admiral laughs. "Make sure that you both read these before then," he adds quietly, looking pointedly at the folder in Spock's hand. Barnett walks to the door and pulls it open, non-verbally dismissing the Vulcan.

Throughout his walk back to his quarters, Spock's mind mulls over the conversation he had with the Admiral. A few phrases cycle through his head, "…grave danger… watch out… I will likely be dead… information in those folders…" he repeats these things in his head, even though they are already engraved in his mind. Spock's mood is not a good one; he has a feeling that things are going to get bad, quickly. But the single sequence of words that returns to his mind is what worries him most. "Captain Kirk is in grave danger."