Kirk wandered up the stone pathway to the old fashioned Terran home. He quirked a grin at the pulley and bell outside the main door. Giving the pulley a yank, Jim Kirk waited and hoped his former CMO was available. The door opened just a crack, and Leonard McCoy peered outside at the uninvited guest. "...Oh, for cryin' out loud. Doesn't anyone ever call first!" He muttered to himself and stepped inbetween the door and the entrance. It had been over a year since the two men had seen one another. The Admiral didn't seem to have nearly as much pep as the doctor remembered, and as for Doctor McCoy, he was wiry and touting a beard that old sea captains would envy.
"Bones!" Kirk grinned at the frontier physician, shocking the man nearly dumb. "That beard! My god, this is what you've been up to, after service?" But, being McCoy, it was only a slight pause before he had anything to say.
"Jim Kirk, what in blazes are you doing here?" The accusatory tone was offset as old friends hugged and clapped each other on the back. "I thought you were back on Earth, rolling pens back an' forth on one of those overgrown paperweights they call desks!" He ignored the quip about his beard.
Jim gave a hurt look, "Bones, it's not that bad." At least, that's what he kept telling himself. "Listen, Lori and I are heading to the cabin. We thought we'd drop by on the way over and say 'hi.' I'm not banned from popping over to bid hello to an old friend, am I?" Kirk raised his brows and gave McCoy a hopeful grin.
McCoy grunted in answer, but after a roll of his eyes and a muttered, "Heaven help us," he turned on his Southern charm and smiled, sweeping his arm in warm greeting, especially when Lori caught up with Jim.
"Sorry, I was having trouble with the skimmer we rented. ...Leonard, it's good to see you."
"And you, Lori. Still surprised you aren't tired of him, yet." It was said completely in jest, but McCoy saw the look from Kirk and the hesitation from Lori to know that not all was right in the Admiralty love nest. "Dammit, Jim. How was I to know?" was whispered rapidly, once Lori made her way past.
"Bones, this isn't exactly what I like talking about over a call." Never mind that the last call McCoy'd made was inappropriately timed, even if it would have been mildly entertaining, had it been under other circumstances. "Listen, a little over a month ago, Lori left... but she's having second thoughts and we're going to try to work things out."
McCoy rubbed at his eyes and nodded, "Yeah. I'd best shut my lip, at this rate. Well, Jim. You're welcome to stay for dinner. Joanna's cooking a roast somethin' or other. All I know is it's good. Tastes something between beef and pork. I'll make up a salad and get some rolls in the oven." All McCoy wanted to do right now is think about home and hearth, not medicine nor Starfleet.
"So, how's life as a frontier doctor?" asked Lori, when the two men joined her. She was already engaged in discussion with Joana, regarding the Centauran crisis that had happened the year before. "That's some beard you have there, Leonard. Very Centauran..." Lori's eyes were dancing.
Bones grunted a thank you, but his face was red.
Kirk smiled, "Something I should know?" He'd already admitted to not knowing the details of Centauran living, but it was Joanna who seemed eager to let Jim in on the local trend.
"Back in the first shipping days, before the Federation was formed, Centaurus was a major hub of commerce from the colonies, kind of a last stop before Earth. It became very notorious for seeing certain needs met by the deep space merchant vessels, as some of their 'sailors' weren't able to wait until Earth to—"
"Joanna, I think he gets the idea," grumbled McCoy, while Jim just grinned from ear to ear.
"No, no. Do go on." McCoy gave his daughter such a look that she didn't dare. Kirk smiled at his former chief medical officer, "So it's a kind of sex symbol? Bones! I had no idea!"
"Now, look. I did not grow a beard to have women throwing themselves at me. I won't be here long enough for it to be an issue." The old doctor folded his arms and gave everyone a look—even Lori, who'd kept mum about it—so that the topic would be dead and in the ground.
Except that Jim would not let the poor thing die. He laughed, then laughed more at the audacious look sent his way from McCoy. "No, no... Not laughing at you, Bones. I just remembered Riley's grown a beard of his own." He paused. "Oh, no. That might make things a bit worrisome. He's got a girl along."
Joanna shook her head, "No... It's usually just the older generation that considers it a sex symbol, these days... If Mister Riley has someone with him, then most people will just let things lie."
"That's almost too bad..." noted Kirk. He liked Riley, but the man bordered along prudish, at times. He could use a good lay. But then, so did... "There's still time for you, old man."
"Horseshit. Don't even go there, Jim."
"It's a shame there's no football pitch here," Anab mentioned as she and Kevin Riley walked past a few games of volleyball. "Still, volleyball looks pretty fun. Want to join in?"
The interest in playing a sport with Kevin brought his mood up a great deal. It had been a rather intense game of football wherein the two had met and became friends. Anab was incredibly athletic, and it was no wonder to him that she'd been promoted to Security Chief for the Starhawk. "I've never played, but that won't stop me."
Kevin's answer pleased Anab. He was a wonderful man, very thoughtful and full of spirit. However, the one thing that had always gotten in the way was his hesitation. Sometimes, it was his hesitation to try new things, although it was hit or miss. After all, he had gone to deep space himself, and come out having tried many things. But there were pauses in other areas of life. Anab had stated to him upfront that she had no interest in having children. He'd been hesitant, but loving. In the end, they had compromised... She agreed to a one-year marriage contract, to satisfy Riley's wish for them to be together, even if they ended up physically separated. And Riley had agreed not to ask her about children. In truth, Anab knew he'd been disappointed to find out her wishes, and it had hung heavy on her during her tour. "Alright. Let's see if they're up for some fresh blood." Despite the coolness between them, she also caught glimmerings of the love they'd once shared. Perhaps there was some hope, after all.
Anab's smile made Kevin's heart leap. He'd always loved her smile, as much as her eyes nearly. They ran down to the sandy beach and waved to the people gathered there. It was interesting to note that the teams were made up of Andorians, Vulcans, and humans, though only the latter were scattered between the two teams. When faced with additional players, the Vulcans suggested that the humans each join a team, so that the field would be equal. The humans understood that the two were likely a couple, and said they should be able to play for one team. Neither the Andorians or Vulcans wished to have both the humans, though, as they were seen to be less physically adept as either of the alien species.
Though it personally disappointed Kevin to not be on the same team as Anab, he spoke up to the group. "The Vulcans are right in that it would be fairer to even out the numbers, and have one of us for each team. Perhaps a coin toss, to see which team gets each of us?" The group began to argue over the rules and fairness over the coin toss, whether it was to be done by the Andorian team or the Vulcan team. Before he knew it, Kevin was calling their attention again. "Since neither of us have joined a team yet, I suggest that I'll flip a coin. Anab can call it. Each of your teams can witness. Is that fair enough?"
"It is a fair and reasonable proposal," said the Vulcan captain of one team.
"I trust you more than I trust them. Fine," said the Andorian captain of the other team.
After the coin toss, Anab headed over to the Andorian side, but commented to her ex-husband as she did, "You handled that pretty well, Commander." Kevin felt his mouth smirk into a lopsided grin at the praise, and he joined the Vulcans and their human friends.
Not that he needed a reminder, but Kevin Riley soon found out that Anab was quite competitive. She was able to keep up with the Andorians and their naturally adept strength and physical prowess. The few humans on her team were impressed, as were the few on Riley's team. They were beginning to think they got the short straw of the deal.
The Vulcans, however, weren't weak by any stretch of the imagination. They also were keen strategists and managed to use that to their advantage. The weakness, something that Anab was easy to point out and take advantage of, was that the Vulcans would not submit to any sort of physical collision with exposed skin. Kevin was quickly aware that the other team began to focus their hits with the ball towards this chink within armor.
It soon seemed as though the Andorians had the upper hand and would win the match, but Riley recalled what he'd learned of Andorians and their high metabolic rate. He urged his team to focus more on defense and wearing out the Andorians, while taking more conservative measures. At first, Anab thought Riley was just attempting a safer course, and her convictions regarding the dissolution of their marriage felt more confirmed. As her teammates began to tire, however, she was suddenly aware of the tactic. By the end of the match, the Vulcan team had come out ahead. The final score came out to 21-19.
Anab frowned as one of the human players on the team, a tanned blonde woman not much shorter than herself, snugged Riley and kissed his cheek. "We won! We won!" Riley blushed and nodded while politely untangling himself from the embrace.
"Yeah. Good game." He went to meet Anab and her team, but apparently, these Andorians didn't seem keen to stick around after the match. Anab nodded to the blonde. "Seems you have a new friend."
Kevin coughed into his hand, "She's just excited in the moment." The disapproving sound of affirmation from the Somalian woman made Riley pause. Jealous? Surely not. ...Anab hadn't seemed jealous of Jenny. What made that any different? Kevin tried not to think of the WorldNews producer, knowing it would only be another wedge between reconciling with his ex-wife. "You were pretty amazing out there, Anab."
The Starhawk Security Chief grinned a bit, "You weren't bad yourself, K.T." The use of the personal nickname made Kevin's heart flutter. His eyes shone at Anab, who shyly smiled for the first time. "Seems you've learned a bit working under Admiral Kirk." She smiled more at him, and paused, contemplating a question.
"What is it?" asked Kevin, with his head askance.
Anab shook her head and took Kevin's hand in hers. "Later." She wasn't sure she was ready to hear whatever his answer would be.
Jenny saw the note she'd left for Kevin, from the other day. She picked it up and nearly ripped it into pieces, but she didn't have the heart. Neither of them could have known that his ex-wife would show up and try to make amends. It's what he wants. She's who he wants. It had been so nice, to be together. Jenny hadn't let herself get that close, not in such a way, in more years than she wanted to admit. She didn't have the heart to take out her pain on the folded stationary. She sat with it in her hands and stared at it. A promise. Potential. Now lightyears away. For reasons beyond her, Jenny slipped the note into a bag, stood up, and turned off the lights to the suite. She checked out from the room at the front desk and waited for a shuttle to take her to an island chain in the Southern hemisphere. I should have waited. I would have waited, if I was able. It's better this way. Being with Anab was what Kevin wanted more than anything. I should be happy for him. It's better this way.
It didn't take long, and when she left the port, Jenny Hogan saw that the air of these islands was more family-centric. Although it was difficult at first, to see families about, she admitted to herself it was better than seeing all the couples, at the other resort. That was a question that never came up. Of course not. Men especially weren't ones to talk about family, committment, nor children when they first went out with people. Went out. Did it count as a date? Maybe in an old-fashioned way, it would have. Not that it mattered anymore. Jenny changed into her swimming suit and rented a surfboard. The waves weren't nearly as fun as the ones back home, but it would be something to enjoy, before her time came. Maybe I'll let the ocean take me. Jenny pouted at herself, at that thought. It wasn't like her to be so defeatist. It would save One a trip, but it would also mean that there would be no way of knowing her place in things. ...But then again, she'd at least have lived. There'd be evidence of her having existed...
Thankfully, the thoughts were banished once Jenny was out into the surf. She enjoyed the cool waters as she swam out a ways into the sea. Arms hooked over her board, she squinted up at the sky and its triple sun, joined by fluffy white clouds. There were no thoughts, now, in the moment. There was only the ocean waves, Jenny, and physics in motion. Like old times.