Chapter 2

Jon was heading to Henry's guest quarters. Enterprise would be leaving dock in less than an hour and he wanted Henry to be on the bridge with him.

He was a couple of doors away when Henry's door slid open. He stopped and watched as the first red-head exited. "I had a good time. Thank you." She said as he kissed her hand.

The second came out of the room, he kissed her hand as well. "Yes, it was wonderful. We'll have to do this again...soon."

"I'll hold you to that promise." Henry called to her.

"Make sure you do, Henry." A third red-head said as she exited the room.

As the three women walked past Jon, each nodding an acknowledgement to him, Jon blinked several times then continued his approach to his son with a confused look. "Am I that senile or wasn't there only two of them?"

Henry gave his father a grin and waved him inside. "Turns out, they're triplets." Henry was dressed in only a bathrobe as he poured a glass of scotch. "Want one?" He asked Jon.

"Your mother would kill me, besides, isn't it a bit too early for a drink?"

Henry shrugged a shoulder. "Depends on your perspective. If you've slept, it might be early in the morning...I haven't slept yet."

"So...three of them? Is this some sort of Pon Farr thing?"

Henry chuckled. "No dad. You know better. I was just having fun...and damned if it wasn't fun!"

Henry had never been through a Pon Farr cycle yet. When his age came that he should have started having his cycles, Jon and T'Pol had thought that maybe his human half might be preventing him from Pon Farr. When medical science couldn't find a reason for it, they took him to a Vulcan priest to find out if that were the case. Turned out that it was simply because he hadn't bonded with anyone yet, and that his cycles would begin when he did bond with someone.

"Do those girls know it was just fun? You didn't lead any of them on with empty promises?"

"Dad...I wouldn't do that. They know we were just having fun."

"Ok. Good. Now go get ready, we'll be leaving space dock soon and you need to be on the bridge. And pour me one of those drinks while you're at it."

"What about mom killing you?"

"You going to tell her?"

Henry grinned. "Nope."

XXX

They were on the bridge as Jon looked around completely impressed by the size and the equipment. He studied the tactical station for a few moments, nodding approval at the display of weaponry. "Malcolm would have a field day with this." He moved over to the science station and looked through the scope. He was fascinated by the high resolution of the view. The images were brighter, and much sharper than those of his Enterprise. He also took note that the long range sensors could scan an area twice as far as what it could in his day. "T'Pol, you would have been able to see a hair on a gnat's ass if we had this on our ship."

She raised a brow at him. "Why would I want to see a gnat's ass?"

"Honey...you know it's just a metaphor." He smiled at her.

"Yes dear, I was simply...what's the term? Busting your balls?"

Jon laughed. "Yes. That's the term."

Kirk shot up his eyebrows surprised at the banter between the pair, considering that one of the two was a Vulcan. "Admiral...uh...Jon. We're ready to leave dock. Would you like to do the honors?" He gestured to the Captain's chair.

"Actually, there's something else I would much rather do, if that's ok with you, Captain."

"Uh...I guess so. What would that be?"

Jon walked over to the helm and put his hand on Sulu's shoulder. "May I?"

Sulu looked up surprised. Kirk nodded to him, giving approval. As Jon sat down he ran his hand across the smooth edge of the console. Sulu started to give Jon instructions. "This is the speed modifiers, emergency manual controls here-"

"I know how the station works. I was flying starships when you were still in diapers. Thank you. Henry, would you like to take the conn for old time's sake?"

Henry shook his head. "No thank you. My Starfleet days are done...remember?"

Jon gave a disapproving grumble as he set out checking the instruments and pushing buttons to ready the ship. "All set to go Captain, just give the order."

Kirk gave Sulu a glace, who nodded his head that everything was correct and ready to go. "Ok then, unlock docking clamps and take us out. One quarter impulse."

Jon pressed a button and they felt the clamps release as he gracefully maneuvered the ship foward away from the dock port. Once clear of the port, Jon changed the direction of the ship and pushed the speed up to full impulse.

"Mr. Archer, sir? Where are you heading?" Kirk asked out of surprise and concern.

"Just a slight detour. It will only take a minute...something I haven't done in a very long time." Jon said as he kicked the speed up to warp 2.8

In a matter of seconds, they found themselves at Saturn. Jon lowered speed back to full impulse and took the ship into the planet's asteroid rings. He nimbly worked the controls as he led the ship into a dance around, over, under and in between the moving rocks. As they exited the rings, a tear streamed down his face. "That was delightful. Thank you for indulging me, Captain." He stood up, looked at Sulu and motioned to the chair. "Your helm, lieutenant. Take good care of her, and she will take care of you."

Sulu smiled at Jon. "Yes sir. I will."

XXX

Kirk had spent the following hour taking his guests on a tour of the ship. Jon had stopped them part way through to inform Kirk that he was getting tired and would go back to his quarters to rest. He encouraged T'Pol and Henry to finish the tour, assuring them that he was fine and only needed to lay down for a while. He gave T'Pol a kiss. "Wake me when it's time for my medicine."

"As always husband. You will wait until I return before you meditate?"

"Don't I always?"

"No. How many times have you been stuck on the floor because of your stubbornness?"

"I wasn't stuck. I just do that so you will think I need you around and won't run off to find a nice young man." He gave her a smile and a wink.

"Of course you do, my love. I should have figured that out years ago. Enjoy your nap." She gave him another kiss before he left the group.