This is ten percent luck, twenty percent skill
fifteen percent concentrated power of will
five percent pleasure, fifty percent pain
and a hundred percent reason to remember the name

Remember the Name – Fort Minor

"We blew up the station and they're still not leaving," Bones said.

"This planet has a tactical advantage in their war against the Federation," Spock said.

"It's not the planet," Jim muttered. "They could've come after this place a dozen plus times in the last year. Why attack now? They obviously want something." She thought about it for a moment. "Where was this ship before you were diverted to us?"

"Aldebaran. Why?" her dad asked. Jim ran the Yorktown's schedule for the last year through her head.

"Kaaj," she said.

"You know about Kaaj?" Robbins asked. Jim nodded.

At the same time, Bones looked at her, "What's a Kaaj?"

"Kaaj is a very unstable Klingon who has an issue with me," her dad said.

"By issue he means Blood Debt," Jim told her husband.

Her dad looked at her, "You honestly think that he would…"

"Attack a planet where your daughter is the CO of a Starfleet Station right next to Klingon space the first time your ship is anywhere near the system. Yea, I do," she told her dad. "If they really wanted this place, they could've taken it when Broad had command. The station was a mess when we got here, Gaynor and I worked our asses off to get the station and colony in the best tactical condition they have ever been in, our evals prove it. The Yorktown hasn't been out this far in sixteen months. The first time you're within a few hours of us they attack my station. It's doesn't take a genius to figure this out and I happen to be a genius."

"So, it's not about Ajilon Prime, the Bay or even the people, it's about who the fleet sent to rescue us," Bones said. "The Klingons used Jim as bait knowing full well that you'd rush over here to protect her." No sooner had he said the words did the ship get hit with a heavy duty weapon.

"Shit," Robbins said has her hands flew over the helm. "Hull breach on deck three."

"Sir, we have two more ships dropping out of warp," one of the officers behind her dad called. "One of them is the IKS Varchas."

"That's Kaaj's ship. Looks like you get a gold star, kid," her dad said. "D'wara, turn over your console to Miss Kirk." The young officer hopped out of his seat and Jim took over the weapons/tactical station. "McCoy, you might want to hang on. Ladies, if you'd be so kind."

Jim and Robbins didn't have to be told twice, they got to work taking out as many of the Klingons ships as they could while taking shots at Kaaj's vessel. All they had to do was hold out until the other ships that Starfleet sent their way actually got there. Even though Jim never served with her dad's first officer, they both had the advantage of knowing how her dad thought and anticipated his orders with ease.

"I kinda feel bad for this Kaaj guy. Jim and Chris are scary enough by themselves. Putting them in a position to work together is just stupid," Bones whispered to someone but Jim heard it.

"Indeed. Kaaj was unwise in his choice to use Jim as bait, it will not end well for him," Spock replied.

Jim couldn't help but chuckle, "Massive understatement, fellas."

"I don't have to pick," Bones said when they were finally alone.

"What?" she asked him.

"Orders. I don't have to pick."

"Uh… why not?" Jim asked.

"I watched you today taking out the Klingons both on the ground and from the weapons station. Hell, I don't think I'm ever gonna forget that big exploding ball you made outta Kaaj's ship. You're in your element out here and I can't take that from you."

She smiled, "You know that I have more than one element, right? Do I love being out here? Yes. Will it bother me to be on Earth or something for a while? No. I made you a promise and I'm gonna keep it. You get to pick the next orders. I won't argue or complain because it doesn't matter where I work as long as I have you."

"You're so annoying. I'm trying to be selfless here and you won't let me, darlin'," Bones grumbled.

"You were already selfless when you packed up and followed me out to the edge of Federation space during a war," Jim reminded him. "So, you get to decide where we go next."

Jim moved as fast as she could through the complete and utter blackness. She could hear the other people with her and Bones, some talking, others laughing and even a few screamers as the sounds and smells got to them. Jim thought it was hilarious because they were all perfectly safe inside this room.

True to her word, Jim let Bones pick their next orders. Fortunately, Larry Marvick still wanted to work with her and there were some teaching assignments at the Academy, so those are the assignments she took, Bones is working out of the Starfleet Medical Center.

Today, they weren't working at all. She doesn't know which one of them came up with it but they decided to spend a few hours at the Exploratorium. So far, they tinkered with some projects in the south gallery, examined a bunch of microorganisms in the east gallery and now they were making their way through the Tactile Dome.

"Somebody had their hand on my ass the whole time," Bones whispered as they got to the end.

"That was me," Jim chuckled.

"Was it?" he asked with a smile and pulled her into his arms.

She nodded, "It was. Can you blame me, it's a nice ass?"

"Not one bit, darlin'," Bones told her. "What do you want to do next?"

"Well… you hungry?"

"A little. How about the burger place you love so much?"

Jim smiled, "You know me so well."

"I can't believe you put me up for a promotion," Jack said.

"I didn't," Jim told him. "I almost did but my dad told me not too. Robbins takes over as Captain of the Yorktown in November. She's been looking for an XO since Spock was her first choice but he's taking a programming spot at the Academy. She asked me about you and liked what she heard, obviously, because you're her pick. The promotion comes with your new billet. Don't tell anyone I told you, you're not supposed to know yet. Just like I'm not supposed to know that I made full Commander."

"What the hell did you tell them?" he asked.

"That you're a good officer and a good XO and that I'm proud to have served with you. All true," she said.

"I don't get it. I mean, I don't even understand why you took me with you to the Bay in the first place."

"Did you know that Bones and I didn't like each other at first?" Jim asked.

"What? You two are so in love it's sickening."

"We're like that now. But, back when we first met, he thought I was annoying and talked too fast, I thought he was a grumpy asshole. We're both still a little like that but that's a conversation for another day. Anyway, we were forced to interact, my dad and his aunt have been close friends for decades and they were serving on the same ship, as they are now. Stuff happened, some good and some bad but we learned that we were better together. We became friends, then best friends, then fell in love and now we're married. You and I will never get that far but over the course of the last almost three years, you went from hating me to trusting me with your life. We grew, as people and as teammates. You learned that being a Kirk wasn't my whole identity. You realized that I was a much better officer than you gave me credit for and you were man enough to admit it. That, combined with the fact that you were always brutally honest and you kick ass, is why I took you to Tananda Bay with me."

"And here I thought you were just doing that whole friends close, enemies closer thing," he chuckled.

"At first, I was," she admitted. "Now, I'm just glad it was you backing me up down there. I don't think we could've gotten everyone off the planet without you."

Jack smiled, "I'm really glad I don't hate you anymore."

"I'm really glad I didn't let my husband hypo you with the vaccine for Melvaran mud fleas. Those symptoms suck."

AN: I planned to kill Gaynor last chapter but he grew on me, so I kept him and we'll probably see him again.

In the Early Voyages comics, Kaaj fakes a message that Chris' dad was close to death, so Chris took a shuttle to get back to Earth but Kaaj's people forced him to crash on a planet. I decided that the family angle would still work for that crazy Klingon.

The vaccine that Jim's talking about is the one that Bones gives Kirk in the movie, we all know how that turned out.

This chapter takes place in 2254, the next chapter will skip ahead a little so we can move right before the bar scene in the movie. Because I changed Jim's backstory so much, the whole scene will be radically different.