Dear Bones,

Thanks for the pep-talk, sunblock, Jack Daniels, and chocolates. I shall be making good use of them.

This little adventure of mine will only be for a year, if the Vulcans don't shoot me out the airlock first, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't blasted nervous about it. At least I got Soral with me. He's good at keeping me out of trouble, and I'm good at getting him in it. So it shouldn't be boring, that's for sure.

You'll definitely be hearing from me. I'll still need my cuss-n-gripe time, probably more so all things considering.

But before I leave for this "out-of-my-Human-mind" adventure, I just wanted to say Thanks. For everything. You've kept good tabs on me over the years, and I guess I just wanted to say that I did notice. And I appreciate it.

Bye for now,

Peter Kirk

Sulu,

Thanks for asking; yes it should be fine for me to have a rapier on board the D'Vahl. Vulcans have their own ceremonial weaponry, so I doubt they'll have a problem if I bring one of my own… as long as I don't get too carried away with it. Ha Ha.

I'm glad you liked the speech. Thanks for saying that I didn't look nervous, but that is either a deliberate lie or wishful thinking. I am sure my knees were bouncing off of each other like ion particles.

It'll probably be a bit hard to keep in touch at first, but I will definitely try my best to! And next time our paths cross, I want to duel you. Seriously.

Until then…

-Peter

Dear Uhura,

You are the best! Thank you so much for the package of clothes. They are all super comfortable and breezy. I appreciate the sweat-proof material too. Being that I'm the sole representative of Team Earth, I ought to at least dress spiffy, right?

Yeah… I know it was sort of a mean surprise, but I honestly didn't know if I would be accepted or not. The idea wasn't last minute, but the fact that it worked out was. Sorry you smeared all of your mascara off… I still thought you looked gorgeous.

Will keep in touch as best I can. As for anything else I might need… a recording of you singing would be nice.

Thanks again.

Peter

Chekov,

I am bringing your Epic Russian Music chip with me. I don't know if the crew will appreciate its artistic value or not, but I'll let you know.

Thanks for all the advice. You can bet I'll be calling you again soon.

Best wishes,

Peter

Scotty,

I will save the Scotch only for special occasions, guaranteed.

Thanks for the tip about the Vulcan Food Replicators… I might send you a schematic later, though, because the last time I tried anything it didn't end up so good. I could also use some instructions on how to adjust the environmental controls without freezing out the adjoining room. Soral would appreciate that, I think.

Thanks again for all your help,

Peter

To: Ambassador Sarek,

I am going to do something very Human. I am going to be presumptuous. Here goes:

I assume that you had some small part to play in my being accepted on board the D'Vahl. For that, I thank you. I know one does not thank logic, but I'm going to anyway.

I am pleased you were not disappointed with my presentation.

I am the one who is honored.

From: Peter Kirk

Dear Lady Amanda,

I should be writing in Vulcan (Goodness knows I need all the practice I can get) but there isn't much time left for me to write, and I have a lot I want to say to you.

You have been… just what I needed from the moment this started. You know that I couldn't have done this without your advice and help. I appreciate how honest you have been with me, and how patient. Believe me, I have learned a lot.

Now I get to experience what you have. And yeah… I'm terrified. I do appreciate your vote of confidence. I only hope I can have as good an attitude as you. I haven't chucked flowers at anybody yet, but I did chuck a snowball…

I hope you don't mind, but I am sort of adopting you. Like it or not, I think I'll need your advice now more than ever. Course, if you get tired of me you can always change your private number…. But please don't. It's been a long time since I had a mom.

Thanks again for everything. And I promise the next letter will be in Vulcan.

Sincerely,

Peter Kirk

PS Soral wants some of those cookie things you make. I wouldn't mind a few, too. Please?

Dear Spock,

I received your comprehensive and very enlightening communiqué. All of the points you expounded on were ones I have been concerned about. I appreciate having your advice, and I can guarantee I will need more as this unfolds. I'm afraid you will be receiving more calls at midnight, but at least this time they aren't anything to do with mathematical formulas.

I never did thank you for helping me out after Deneva. I know that was a long time ago, and that it was simply the logical thing to do, and you really don't need to hear me say it. But call it a foolish Human need. Thank You. Really.

I know Jim is probably sort of… well freaking out a little bit. I don't blame him, I did sort of spring that on everybody last minute. But I guess I wanted to do something on my own, to see if it could be done. Honestly, I hadn't been expecting to be accepted. Now that I am, I find myself questioning whether or not this will even work. I appreciate that you believe it will. It means a lot to me.

And I also just wanted to say, after learning so much about you and Jim… well… you two are inspiring.

Thanks again… for all of it.

-Peter

Dear Uncle Jim,

Wow… so much to say, and I really don't know how to say it all.

You're my Uncle. Okay, yeah you knew that. You're also the best Uncle ever. And I'm not just saying that because you are my only uncle. How many guys out there can honestly point to their family member and say "you see that famous guy who gets all the chicks and kicks all kinds of alien butt… That's my uncle"?

Alright… seriously now: you make me proud to be a Kirk. Dad always spoke highly of you, and now that I am older I can see why. And even though I failed the Kobiyashi Maru Test (didn't think I could try your method and get away with it, although people were betting I would) It is thanks to you that I don't believe in no-win scenarios. It's because of you I made this decision.

I am sorry I sort of… well… surprised you with my announcement. I am glad you support my decision whole-heartedly, and it is nice to know I have the best Captain in Starfleet just a call away if I ever get in over my head.

I won't lie to you and say I'll stay out of trouble, but I promise the trouble I get into will be just as epic, wild, and fun as befitting a Kirk. This may be the absolute worse year of my life, or it may turn out to be the best thing I've ever done. But either way, I know I can make it. So don't worry too much about me, okay?

You'll be hearing from me soon, promise.

Your Nephew,

Peter Kirk

Finis