Kirk and Alyssa quickly returned to Headquarters to dress in civilian clothing and pack other necessary items. As they talked in Kirk's office, they planned out how they would confront Jason Lattimer and hide him. While any shuttle heading in and out of San Francisco would usually consist of people returning from a pub, nobody was going to catch two officers pretending to be a married couple and vacationing overnight in another city. The only impediment would be bringing their person of interest back to San Francisco without being conspicuous.

"We'd turn a few heads," Alyssa called out from the other side of the room. Separated by a screen as she changed, she added, "He's a humanoid and can fit in with the rest of the unusual races here. The only problem is that he's too close to the Thyrians. We have to keep him under lock and key."

The admiral conceded. "But how to persuade him to come with us?"

"Well, you supposedly have the powers of persuasion. You do it."

"You're better at manipulation than I am. I'm ordering you to."

Alyssa peered around the corner without a top. "Oh, really now? We're playing this game?" She was smirking.

Kirk saw the tease. It wasn't just her words that got him laughing though. It was also her alluring posture and bare shoulders. Alyssa was so comfortable showing off to him that she didn't care that she was disrespectful to an admiral. For her, it was too easy to fall back into their old pattern.

Alyssa was in hysterics when there was no immediate comeback from Kirk. Her body shook with a ringing giggle, loud enough to get guards at the door with questions. Her arm covered the top of her chest in an effort to remain covered too. The admiral was in a similar state. He drew closer to their separator and reached for Alyssa in an attempt to quell their unrest. But when he noticed the dark spots on bare skin, his mood turned serious. He touched her arm gently.

She noticed the gesture and retracted behind the screen, the merriment gone. She sought privacy, feeling ashamed of herself. "The shuttle leaves in twenty minutes. The latest we could come back is noon tomorrow. It doesn't give us a lot of time."

"Can't we pick up a later ride?" Kirk asked jokingly. He put on his civilian shirt. "I'd like to spend some time with my wife."

Alyssa finished dressing and faced the admiral in denim jeans, a tank top and flannel shirt. "Well, this wife doesn't want to spend all day in San Diego and miss out on her regular duties, even if she is suspended from most of them."

"Would that mean you're cooking tonight?"

Alyssa playfully punched him in the shoulder. "I'll think about it."

Afterward, they left the office, bantering back and forth quietly enough. Kirk found their surroundings a little more eerie than normal and took out his phaser. He eventually petered out the chatting to concentrate. While the quiet of the building was mostly due to the officers who sought to escape what was lacking in their lives without interruption, the usual noises of infidelity, long hours and solitude was no longer there. It was almost like the building had been vacated and it had become a ghost town.

Alyssa was thinking the same thing. She drew her service weapon and covered his back. Slowly, they proceeded to the exit, seeing and hearing nothing. When they were about ten yards from the door, Alyssa heard a familiar noise from the rear. She thought it was her imagination until it grew louder and near.

"Get down!" she yelled, throwing her body over the admiral's.

The security officer felt the sting on her arm just as they hit the floor. She bit her lip to prevent herself from crying out. She knew what it was. It rolled in her mind a new idea about their so-called new friends and the radiation poisoning that she and thousands of others suffered from. The Thyrians had been the enemy of Synprilox and had used all means possible to destroy the planet since the agreement with the Federation many years ago. They were after blood.

Paranoia settled in. This was no coincidence that the Thyrians came to Earth for an agreement and she was assigned as the security officer. Magda had already disappeared for no reason. Was Alyssa next? Were her children to be targets as well? And what about Kirk, who had been on that inspection tour twelve years ago? Would he be found out as the man who encouraged this friendship?

Despite the panic, both of them rolled over and stood up quickly, staring at the direction where the blast came from to see if their shooter would try a second time. Alyssa ran where the point was origin was, her service weapon poised in defense. All she saw were pieces of metal and some liquid on the floor, crushed and oozing. It would not be proof enough for Cartwright though. This was done on purpose.

"It was a warning," Alyssa said as Kirk caught up with her. "Somebody wanted us know that they were watching us."

"If they know we were in San Diego…" the admiral speculated.

"Then, they might be following us." Alyssa looked at Kirk sharply. "We've got ten minutes before the transport arrives. What do you want to do? We can risk it or find another way to reach Jason Lattimer."

Kirk thought for a moment. "Isn't there an organization that helps refugees or prosecuted people?"

"I don't know. I need to research that."

"I'm sure there is. But by having a trained group retrieve Jason Lattimer, we don't need to lead anybody to him."

"You're right. And it might be safer."

Finally, Kirk saw the burn on Alyssa's arm. "Are you all right?"

She hid the offending black mark behind her back, using this awkward movement to smoothly link her hands from the rear. "I will be."

"Do you need me to call McCoy?"

"There's isn't much he can do, Jim. Besides, we've got some work to do. Do you want to crash at my place or yours? Do some research?"

The admiral wasn't too familiar with the phrase. He wrinkled his forehead in confusion. "I will assume this is a way to ask me to spend the night at your apartment or mine."

"We'll be in one place. It's less conspicuous. Yours seems more ideal."

Kirk nodded in agreement. San Diego now seemed to be more dangerous than staying put and keeping their heads low. They can reevaluate their plan in the morning. The good news was that the Thyrians did not know where Jason Lattimer was located exactly. The bad news is that they were aware that they were being investigated.

Their decision was made. Kirk took out his communicator and talked with Riley. He ordered Ryder and Ali back to his apartment. His aide did not complain. Riley acknowledged the command, but seemed more than tired. Kirk heard some puerile arguing in the background.

Then, he and Alyssa returned to his office to pick up their things. Kirk noticed some changes with his companion though. Alyssa was getting slower and was oftentimes dazed, bumping into random piece of furniture and once, the wall. She continued to hide the burn on her arm and grimaced each time she used it. Even lifting her bag was a chore for her.

Kirk kept offering to help her, but Alyssa brushed it off. He recognized this as her way to be independent and not rely on anyone, a trait she retained since her husband's death years before. It annoyed him. He bit his tongue. He'll call McCoy, all right, when she was sleeping. That should do the trick.

This time around, the usual noises from the other offices echoed around them. Kirk thought this stranger yet when before there was none. Shrugging his shoulders, he and Alyssa exited the building without incident. They signed out at the door and were walking towards another transport, chatting as they normally did, before Alyssa suddenly gasped and stopped midsentence.

And that was when the security officer collapsed.

~00~

It had gotten the point where Kirk could hardly wait to get back to Alyssa and relax and it took all his power to not show it. The end of the day could mean music and dancing with her, mostly to songs that she grew up with or learned from her aunt. There was also good food and company (even if Magda was cold and distant). Alyssa also played with Ryder and that was fun to watch. Kirk occasionally joined in, chasing the five-year-old around the backyard until they was tired, but always kept his distance.

Lori's admissions had gone unheeded. Kirk was a little bias though. He always had been when it came to Alyssa, especially these days. The security guard had admitted that she had been working with Lori concerning Synprilox and the delicate situation between them and the Federation. That merited much more than being under a microscope.

No. It couldn't be. She's not a double agent.

About two months after his arrival, the admiral randomly thought this. One night, as Kirk sat in the backyard with Alyssa and Ryder, he dismissed the reflection once more. He focused on the boy instead, hoping to keep his mind on something else other than politics. He was pretending to be an explorer of an uncharted world, imagining his tree house to be another planet. He was so young and naïve, much as Kirk was when he commanded the Enterprise initially.

Ryder climbed the wooden rugs, yelling about his captain's log and the lack of damage and life so far on the planet. He also talked about going where no man had gone before and hoping to connect with a new life form. Kirk chuckled. He believed Ryder had potential to become a wonderful Starfleet officer if he continued to stand by those beliefs. He would have blamed Kurt Hemmingway for it, but disregarded that theory. Kurt had been killed long before the situation at Synprilox began.

Alyssa was thinking the same thing. "He's almost like his father."

"How?" Kirk wondered. Some physical appearances aside, the boy was almost a replica of his mother.

"Kurt was in the Air Force, a pilot," Alyssa replied quietly. "He wasn't exploring strange new worlds, but he flew into countries he never saw and – well, you know –"

The admiral took her hand. "I wouldn't worry about it right now. Ryder doesn't need to know about Kurt."

"What will I tell him when he asks? He will want to know."

"When the time is right, I think you'll have the words. One day at a time, Alyssa. One problem at a time."

Alyssa nodded evenly. The insecurity eased from her face. "What did you do today? Anything undignified?"

This was slowly becoming a joke between them. Kirk had to hide his smile when he heard footsteps from outside their cover. "Well, the chancellor introduced me to some farmers."

"Oh? Were they individual homes?"

"No. They were on collection farms, I think the chancellor named them."

"Those." Alyssa's face flushed red in horror. "It is something I disagree with. It's a sort of slavery to the land. The counsel and chancellor place a family wherever they want to and demand a certain yield each season. This is to help feed a world, mind you. They are punished if the required amount is not met."

"This was briefly mentioned. I was not aware it was this harsh. What kind of punishments are we talking about?"

"Well, there's the favorite, which is imprisonment. There are fines, loss of home and separation of families. There has been worse. You've seen it. Synprilox is a planet that requires everyone to work together for the betterment of everyone. They must pull their fair share or face the consequences."

"It is communal like many planets then."

The security guard grimaced. "Very much so, I am afraid. It's similar to governments that adapted a socialist system and corrupt it."

"That type of policy has been abolished decades ago!"

"Then, I would bring it up to the Federation, Admiral. It's something you can put in your report."

Kirk did not like that Alyssa returned to formalities and frowned. When Ryder wasn't looking, he squeezed her hand tighter, to remind her that they were alone and not likely to be overheard except by a child. Something else was on her mind though. It wasn't the inner workings of Synprilox this night. No, her last comment was more distant than most.

And this too brought Kirk back to reality. Now, he had to wonder what he was going to do after this tenure. Of course, he'd eventually return to his desk job lightyears away. Then, Lori would also take up most of his time, demanding this and that. Alyssa would be a dream, left behind on a planet that would continue its chaotic chain of events. He already saw that, planets away, their relationship was going to crumble.

The security officer glanced over, raising an eyebrow. "Penny for your thoughts?"

Kirk almost missed the comment. "Huh?"

"Are you ok?"

"I was going to say, pennies have been obsolete."

Alyssa chuckled. "I'm aware. But you're working something out in your head. What is it?"

Kirk didn't want to upset her. He shrugged his shoulders. "Don't worry about it."

"Jim." Alyssa sounded as stern with him as she was with Ryder. "You want me to open up to you. You need to do the same with me. I understand that this might be something that will take time. Never tell me to stop worrying. I never will."

For a moment, Kirk hesitated. He initially did not want to trouble Alyssa, but the issue had been pushed enough that he had to say something. "Leaving here," he admitted. He felt pretty foolish mentioning it.

"Oh." Alyssa sounded sad about the topic too. "I understand you'll be busy elsewhere once you leave. I won't hold you back."

"What about you? Your career?"

"Your life is wherever Starfleet assigns you. My life is here. The ideal solution to a unique problem is keeping me stationary. Starfleet and the Federation feel that my presence on Synprilox is a benefit. If I remain here, the chancellor and her counsel are more willing to work with them."

"That will explain more of your exile. I did not know you were a liaison."

"In a manner, yes, I am. I've expressed to Starfleet my desire to return to Earth or to be transferred to a starship. They have denied my request so far."

Kirk felt a cold shudder run down his spine. He ignored it. "There are always positions for security officer on Earth. Come with me. What makes your request so different from anyone else's?"

The answer was pretty obvious and Kirk felt more childish in asking her to leave. Starfleet wanted to hide their mistakes. Alyssa had been one of them. The suggestion for her to be stationed at Synprilox had been convenient and she was out of the way. To bring her back to Earth would be an act of favoritism and to remind Starfleet of their lapse in controlling corruption.

"I'm sure they'll be times when we can visit," Alyssa said. She did not mention going with Kirk and it embarrassed her. "It…won't be the same as it is now."

She realized it too. It's not fair!

The overwhelming emotion washed over Kirk. To know that Alyssa was feeling the same pain was a comfort and a soreness he could not erase. He pulled her closer to him and held her. She didn't say a word, but she didn't need to anyway. It was plain on her face that she was hurting and grasping at every happy moment she received.

Alyssa was madly in love…and detested the departure in a few months.