"The defense calls a witness on the Enterprise, Lieutenant Nyota Uhura." Sabrina clicked on the screen and there was Uhura in all her glory.

She was sworn in and Sabrina smiled at the screen. "Hello, Lieutenant. I'd like to start with your relationship with Commander Spock. When did you meet?"

Jim perked up to pay attention to this. He knew they'd met in the Academy. Were they about to admit that to everyone publicly?

"We met in the Academy. Commander Spock was my xenolinguistics adviser." Uhura crossed her legs and sat back.

"When did you become romantically involved?"

Jim looked over at Spock. You're just going to let her answer that?

I have no other choice, ashayam. Spock leaned forward slightly.

"We became involved in my last year at the Academy." There was some murmuring and Jim felt his face flush.

"How long did you date Commander Spock?" Sabrina walked away from the camera.

"We dated just over two years." Uhura was steady as a rock. Jim felt he could have kissed her for this.

"Did Commander Spock ever become violent with you?"

"No. He never became violent. He was extremely gentle."

Sabrina nodded, and then motioned back to the silent TV. "Do you remember the fight between Commander Spock and Captain Kirk during the Narada disaster?"

Uhura nodded. "I was there."

"Tell us why Commander Spock struck the captain." Sabrina looked out at the gallery.

"Well, he earned it quite frankly. Jim taunted the living daylights out of Spock. But we found out why afterward. Jim had to take command of the ship in order to save Earth. Eventually everyone forgave him for the insults he gave to the commander. Even Spock," Uhura finished softly.

"How did you become aware of the romantic interest between Commander Spock and Captain Kirk?" Sabrina turned back around.

Uhura laughed. "Well, it's kind of obvious if you know what you're looking for. A Vulcan in love is a very powerful thing. Spock became extremely protective of the captain, even more so than he was to begin with." She smiled. "He took to touching the captain. A Vulcan, touching someone voluntarily?" She shook her head. "Them getting together didn't surprise me in the slightest."

"What was your reaction when you learned about the charges against the commander?"

"Oh, I was floored. I thought it was a sick joke or something. Spock would never hurt Jim. Never. If he treats him with even half the finesse he gave me, Jim's getting the royal treatment. I started to write it off; I figured it was a lie."

"No further questions." Sabrina sat back down.

"Lieutenant, you say 'A Vulcan in love is a very powerful thing.' Yet he wasn't in love with you, was he?" The prosecutor pointed his finger at her.

Uhura sat back for a bit. "Well, not the way he is with Jim, no."

"So you wouldn't know if Vulcans abuse their spouses." The attorney was firm.

"But – "

"No further questions." The prosecutor sat down.

"Redirect," Sabrina called out. "Lieutenant, you are somewhat of an expert on alien races, are you not?"

"Yes ma'am." Uhura was almost seething.

"So have you studied Vulcan culture?"

Uhura leaned forward again. "I not only know Vulcan culture as a xenolinguistics major, I studied it because I had hopes of becoming Spock's bondmate. I know the Vulcan culture inside and out."

"So tell us, Lieutenant. Is there any truth to the statement that Vulcans don't beat their wives?" Sabrina turned.

"Vulcans are bred to peace. They abhor violence in every respect. Spock's own father practically disowned him for even joining Starfleet. And as for what Spock did that one afternoon? He was in complete emotional turmoil and was thrown back to a pre-Surakian time. Something like that happens once in a lifetime, if that." Uhura glared at the screen. "Vulcans aren't violent period."

"No further questions." Sabrina sat back down and made a note on a padd in front of her.

The screen was cut off for a moment and then Sabrina stood.

"Your Honor, we have 392 more witnesses for the defense. Do you have a preference as to how we call them?"

There was a rustling of comments from the gallery. Jim beamed. Three hundred and ninety two people had come forward to testify on Spock's behalf. His heart could burst from pride in his crew. Spock turned and looked at Jim and Jim grinned like a maniac at him.

Judge Duvitri pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'll let you call two more. That's it. We're not deposing the entire crew of the USS Enterprise."

Sabrina nodded. "In that case, at this time defense calls Admiral Christopher Pike."

The screen was switched on and they were staring at Pike. Pike looked back at the screen confidently. He was sworn in and the bailiff stepped back.

"Admiral Pike, it's an honor to have you with us today. I'd like to start with how you met Commander Spock."

Pike nodded. "Commander Spock was one of the highest regarded instructors we had in the Academy. I watched him from his cadet days; he always stood out. I wanted him as my First Officer because I wanted that imperturbable constitution backing me up."

"Did you ever get to know Commander Spock on a personal level?" Sabrina posed.

"A little," Pike began slowly. "He never really opened up to me about his personal life. But he did sometimes drop little nuggets on me that made me stop and think." Pike nodded. "Things like how he was being true to the history of Vulcan by protecting the Federation they helped create. And how diplomatic skills should be taught to every cadet, because not every fight was won with a phaser."

Sarek's eyes closed for a moment. Those were his words to his son the evening Spock left for Earth.

"Did he have any altercations during his time at the Academy?"

Pike leaned back. "Well, we did have an incident where a cadet became enraged and grabbed another cadet and threatened to kill him. Campus Security was called, but before they arrived then-Lieutenant Spock snuck up behind the cadet and disabled him."

"Disabled him how?" Sabrina looked interested.

"There's this Vulcan neck-pinch thing they can do. The right pressure to the right area and the perpetrator goes out like a light. I always wished I could do it. It's so much better than firing a weapon at someone." Pike smiled.

Sabrina smiled up at the judge. "Sounds like what Commander Spock did to an officer last night."

Pike frowned. "Spock would never attack someone. If he's doing that he's defending himself or someone else. There isn't an ounce of malice in him. I'd be looking at that officer if I were you."

"What have you learned about Commander Spock since you left the Enterprise?"

"Well, he's a great leader. He's probably the best damn First Officer the 'Fleet has ever seen. He's actually mellowed with the crew somewhat, although I can bet his association with a certain Captain brought that about." Pike looked up for a moment. "I've learned how to handle loss with dignity from Commander Spock. I've also learned how to pick my battles wisely."

"What do you mean, 'pick your battles wisely'?" Sabrina looked back to the screen.

Pike chuckled. "I'll tell you the story I tell other admirals, alright? Captain Kirk was severely injured in a First Contact mission. He needed specialized care found on New Vulcan. I ordered Commander Spock to take the ship back to Starbase 15. Commander Spock hijacked the ship and took Captain Kirk to New Vulcan against orders, effectively saving Captain Kirk's life."

Sabrina tilted her head. "Is that the last time Commander Spock disobeyed orders?"

Pike laughed out loud. "Lord, no. It just wasn't always as spectacular as stealing the ship. Sometimes he'd beam down after Captain Kirk had declared it unsafe for him to do so. Sometimes he'd neck-pinch Captain Kirk and hogtie him in their quarters and beam down without him. If he thought it would save Captain Kirk, he did it."

"Hasn't he been reprimanded for this behavior?" Sabrina asked.

"It always fell just inside his dominion as First Officer. Sometimes I joke that he took his position as First Officer too seriously and literally married the captain." Pike laughed and there was laughter in the gallery.

"So you would be surprised to hear of Commander Spock beating his husband?"

Pike went serious in no time flat. "I would be floored if Spock ever laid a hand on Jim that wasn't kind. Those two are like sons to me and I'd like to think I know them well enough to know that neither of them would ever harm the other."

"No further questions." Sabrina sat back down.

The prosecutor had been getting more and more embarrassed as the trial continued and now looked slightly mortified. "Uh, no questions."