Life got easier as the days turned into weeks. Though Michael didn't feel any less lightened or happy, she felt…settled. Discovery hadn't picked up a new signal since but they found other things to investigate; such as Spock.
Spock who had committed himself into a psychiatric facility on Starbase 5 without telling anyone but the captain.
For her, it offered a perfect distraction that she hadn't known she had needed. A drive for her to use… and she did without hesitation. Her focus shifted to figure out the mess her brother had gotten into that gave something she could work with entirely. Work all angles, try to see with his eyes but she lacked a lot of things. Context, mostly.
She knew Spock had known about the signals well in advance, her attempts to ask Connolly and Nhan had brought up no information. Nhan simply didn't know and Connolly seemed to not care; it had taken a lot to not do anything to man; her own temper had grown a considerably short fuse now in general, especially concerning her drive; his attitude bothered her but she knew his sense of self-preservation kicked in full when her eyes narrowed at a particular comment he had made. Enough to make him shut up and avoid her.
She hadn't pursued him since.
Pike had been…open since their last meeting, in terms of what had happened to Spock to finding out he had new knowledge he had left behind in his personal log. It was like their conversation about her 'feelings' hadn't occurred. They talked as officer to captain and though his presence tickled her broken bonds, she had grown accustomed to that too. To her dynamic with the captain. That's all they'd ever be. She had stopped feeling sad about it; instead, she just kept on going.
She had no other options; she'd not let that pain consume her like it consumed Ophelia.
Though she knew she had a fair idea of why Ophelia had gone so dark; her own drive to find out what was wrong with her brother was strong, but not obsessive like Ophelia's.
Ophelia's drive was to hurt her, to kill her. Ophelia's imprint had died; permanent and final with a very good object of blame that turned her away. Every sense of urge for justice or satisfaction of revenge to comfort their broken bonds… A complete obsession.
Michael didn't have that. She couldn't bring herself to even blame Dr Culber for his insistence on informing the captain, even if it had been a mistake. There had been good intention and this severing of bonds would save Pike from Ophelia. Her sire had promised her mate a slow, painful death, now she'd never have that. The imprint only happened ever once. She didn't have to worry. Michael didn't broach that subject again and neither did the captain.
While her behavior had changed and concerns had been noted and assured; that too had settled with the crew. Tilly dragged her out at every opportunity, Detmer and Airiam also par-took in that and she had found herself having a few movie nights or helping with some of their work—especially with Tilly as the Ensign worked through the CTP. Again, Michael allowed and found a sense of enjoyment, even if ordinarily, she may had passed. She was glad to have them as friends.
Michael was currently sat once again with the two as they hate their lunches though Detmer had finished and playing with the dregs with the wrong end of the spoon, Airiam had not and continued to eat at a slow pace.
"Oh please, I don't want to go alone." Detmer was saying, nudging the augmented human.
Airiam's lips smiled a fraction. "It's not that I don't want to, Keyla, but I do require a lot of maintenance for shore leave."
Detmer huffed, "I know, which is why I'm asking now, months in advance."
Airiam's head tilted. "I suppose. Though, please, nowhere sandy. Grain particles are very hard to get out of…crevices and joins."
Michael's eyes flickered to the Lieutenant Commander. "Experience?"
"I…went to Hawaii." The tone in her voice shifted, "After the accident. A reminder of good memories I had."
It was clear to see this was personal, yet there was a sense Michael knew there was hurt; painful. The accident had been the cause of her augments; to keep her alive… She had seen the picture in Airiam's room; her husband if she wasn't mistaken.
"Then that's definitely worth the clean-out of sand there," Detmer spoke, her face shifting to a small, compassionate smile, her hand coming to squeeze her hand. "So, no sand. Got it. I haven't seen Gant in months."
Michael's eyes turned. "Gant?"
Detmer nodded, "Right, sorry I thought you knew. He survived the war and got reassigned like most of our former crew. He practically dropped off the grid to a…different section of Starfleet. Wasn't allowed to tell me."
Kamran Gant. Michael felt a wave of… nostalgia and relief to hear that. Gant was fine… alive. How could she have not tried to check up on them? "Where are you going?"
Detmer shrugged. "He wants to meet me on a Risa but I persuaded him to meet on Cestus III. The Colony's been up and running for about…two-three years." She finished, taking a heavy sip of orange juice.
"When are you going?"
Detmer paused, "Well, I've requested shore leave in about… three months, assuming shit doesn't hit the fan with another signal. I was gonna ask Saru if he wanted to meet up with Gant too or with you, Michael but Saru can't afford the time off and…well he's not so happy with you in our communications."
Detmer threw her an apologetic look but Michael shook her head. "It's fine. I don't expect forgiveness from everyone." No, she probably did deserve it; it'd take time before she could earn that from him. She had plenty of that. She had betrayed her Shenzhou crew, got their captain killed and they lost their ship—not including the war here.
"Still, I hoped he'd be open-minded but still, I wonder what sort of gossip and news he's got." Detmer sighed wistfully before her eyes zeroed back to Airiam. "So, Airiam, still want to come with?"
The plastic in Airiam's face was hard to gage more from her expression, as it usually were though Michael could sense the indecision.
"I will need to run assessments on what I'll need to take if I go." Airiam decided, though not committing fully, it still made Detmer smile.
Lunch soon ended though Michael walked with them until they left for the bridge, taking a detour towards Engineering where she could pick up Tilly's excited chatter, the doors opening to see the red-head by the monitor and Stamets.
"I mean, it would totally take some readjustment and new ports but I've been talking to Dr Culber and he thinks it could work." Tilly rambled.
On the monitor showed up schematics of Stamets's augments that attached into his arms but the design was new; there looked to be a new matrix added into the augments that ran co-currently to the port-openings. Externally, there were a few changes in coloring too, instead of cleanly white, it was now a near-transparent silver exposing a little of the circuitry and its concealed plug into his nervous system.
"I don't…" Stamets paused, lips pursed though he didn't look displeased, "I'm not fond of the colorings …nor it being transparent. "
"It lights up!" Stamets gave her a look, perking an eyebrow at her. Tilly huffed, "Fine, I'll change it."
"Thank you."
Stamets's head turned up though his head tilted with inquisition as he saw Michael standing there. "Commander." He greeted, "I'm surprised to see you down here."
"I heard Tilly getting excited; I wonder what caused it."
Tilly in question rolled her eyes, smiling still.
"I designed a new augment. Look." Tilly waved her over, "The one ones tap into the nervous system but these ones, I'm using the dark matter asteroid to enable a more co-efficient transmission of the connection. The one that runs into the arm and works from there; sure it works but this… the connection will stabilize a harmonics throughout your crystalline form."
"Harmonics, like the sort used to slow vampires down…or shatter said vampire?"
"Nope, a different set of frequencies and uses barely a fraction of power and less harmful for humans." Tilly said, "Though there's one drawback…"
"Which is?"
"Mycelium energy and the dark matter asteroid isn't…easy integration, without your body as a medium, they'd repel each other; it's why Discovery was pushed back when we encounter the mother-load version."
Stamets's eyebrow shot you, "And you want to plug me into dark matter and mycelium flow?"
"No…yes…well, a little bit. I've worked out the kinks and made it functional!" This barely dampened the ensign's enthusiasm.
Stamets continued to eye her for a long moment then turned his attention back the screen though Michael didn't miss his eyes flicker to her in the same motion, a tad too fast for Tilly to see. Apprehension keeping his posture stiff.
"Why don't you run it along with Dr Culber before anything's decided?" Michael prompted. "He did build the original, did he not?"
Tilly glanced at her, eyes narrowing. "Fine. I'll reconfigure it with him later Saru's got a half-marathon starting soon, I don't wanna be late for that." She pulled the chip from the monitor and hurried away.
They both stared after her though Stamets's expression softened somewhat before he flickered over to the main console.
"I didn't expect you to come down here, did the…captain want something or are you running a check over with our department?" He barely danced over the topic in question and it was more refreshing.
"Can't I just visit my clan for the sake of it?" Michael mused, folding her arms over chest, tone drying up a fraction
"No, you run with professional tactics; you visit for work, not personal visits." Stamets corrected, leaning forwards with a little too intense gaze to the screen. "Unless you've reached a lot point and stalling from going to the bridge?"
Michael's jaw tightened a fraction though she pulled a data chip from her pocket. "I talked with the Governor last night. Admiral Cornwell and a few other clans are…starting to find difficulties with their work in or with Starfleet and there's also word of a rogue vampire and a collection of missing people, Klingon, Orion, and some humans. They've got to rethink a few things to combat vampire attacks so our communication with Cornwell will be…increased, I may need you as a second set of years to help."
That pulled his attention, his eyes rising up from the screen and his jaw clenched. "Ophelia?"
Michael nodded, "Most likely. She's giving us a bad image and…" She spared a glance around, speaking quieter "Starfleet may point the blame to us given we weren't able to apprehend her on Quo'noS."
Stamets nodded, "I'll try and…see to any adaptations to my time table."
"Usually calls come in about between one and two am and can last up to three hours."
Stamets nodded, taking the chip. "And this?"
"A few reports on the matter I've been allowed to hand over." She did keep it all together; for this situation.
"Commander Burnham, to the bridge."
Michael let out a sigh but nodded her goodbye from the lieutenant commander and zoomed away.
Up on the bridge, Michael stepped out of the turbolift to see the room lit to Yellow alert though she barely blinked as she made her way to the science station, relieving the officer from duty who moved off to another monitor.
"Unidentified craft on an intercept course," Rhys spoke up, twirling on his seat towards his second monitor quickly
"Bearing three five eight mark zero," Detmer added.
Owosekun spoke up next "Range is nine thousand kilometers and closing."
"No other propulsion systems in the sector." Airiam piped up,
"Hailing them on all frequencies, sir. So far they haven't responded to any of them."
"Tell them if they get any closer without telling us who they are, we will activate tactical systems," Pike answered to Bryce with a very stern expression.
"Aye, Captain."
Michael airily watched as the conversation continued to circle of the bridge about the shuttle though her focus was drawn to see a very familiar ship appear on the screen.
"That ship is Vulcan."
"That ship is Sarek's. I recognize it." There were the few tell-tale signs that she knew with her eye-sight that differed Sarek's ship against any other. Her head shifted a fraction as Pike moved in her peripheral vision, his face shifting to something more solemn; his heart picked up by only a fraction though he sidled to stand to her other side, clearly not announcing anything to the bridge crew. "Sir?"
"I…reported Spock's advanced knowledge to command about the signals, but that would have…ultimately leaked back to the ambassador that his son also committed himself into a psychiatric facility." Pike spoke quietly, his gaze shifting down that…displayed his discomfort about it. Guilt, even.
Michael nodded once. No doubt the captain respected Spock's privacy; Pike thought he had sold him out. "You didn't betray your friend, simply followed protocol." Though her tone was far from assured— it hadn't been for a while.
Pike shook his head softly, "Certainly doesn't feel that way when it's easier to say." He straightened up, jaw tightening again.
"Have you heard from his doctors?"
Pike shook his head, shifting on his spot to head back towards his seat, "report to the transport room, Commander, and welcome the Vulcan ambassador on board." Sliding back into his seat but the expression in his eyes didn't change, even as his expression composed to something else.
"Yes, Sir."
She darted from her station and into the turbo lift. "Deck four."
The Transporter technician jumped to her sudden appearance but recovered quickly.
"Energise"
He nodded, immediately moving to business, a finger dragging down the screen but Michael kept her eyes ahead, watching as gold light filtered onto one transport pad, forming up a familiar humanoid body though even the scent that began to drift towards her told her who it was, it certainly wasn't Vulcan.
Her eyebrow raised as the transport was complete. "Amanda." A statement more than a question though the woman smiled and immediately headed towards her, arms opening. Michael didn't hesitate to reciprocate the hug, though she felt stiff in comparison to Amanda's warm, fragile form; not unnoticed as she pulled back, her grey eyes turning weary at her otherwise non-expression.
"What happened?" Amanda asked, her voice soft.
Michael didn't answer but she shifted, gesturing for her to walk with; here was no place for personal conversations. Amanda didn't hesitate to walk with.
"I do not believe you came here to talk about me, mother."
Amanda tittered, "A mother can multi-task." She chided, her hand came out, touching her arm with a tight squeeze. "What happened?"
"You came here for a reason, mother, I don't want to get into this topic now." As much as she did appreciate the concern, now was not the time. Amanda's concerned expression didn't change, staying quiet so she chose a different tactic. "Were you informed of the signals?"
"Yes. Sarek informed me, lots of people want to know what they are." Her tone had dropped a little in tone, annoyed but thankfully, not falling back to what she clearly wanted to address.
"Spock…." Michael started carefully, "Spock has some sort of connection to them."
That pulled her Amanda's attention away now and straight to the topic. Her eyes turned to her fully, pausing in their walk but thankfully, there weren't many of the crew around. Her hand coming to grip her arm tighter.
"How?"
"I remain uncertain. He left a log on the Enterprise before he left claiming that…he had seen them. Months in advance from the federation's accounts." Michael continued.
A sharp breath seeped passed her lips, "I just came from Starbase 5." Amanda shook her head quickly, "They wouldn't let see him, they wouldn't tell me what was wrong with him, and they wouldn't even give me his personal items."
"What?" That wasn't right. Michael could feel the warning alarms. They had no right to do that, especially given the position Amanda had as a diplomat's wife and as Spock's mother.
"I know. Starfleet's classified me out. I don't know what to do to find out about him, there's be a lot of red rape that even Sarek will have a problem cutting. I know that…I could turn to you…and Captain Pike." Her hand let go of her arm, disappearing under the blue shawl and jacket there, she pulled out a red data ship. "I stole his medical file."
Amanda grasped her wrist, placing it into her palm though Michael kept her gaze at her; the request didn't need to be said; she wanted her to open it. Get the information themselves Why come all this way and not? Opening it though, that would still cause uproar without going through a person of high Starfleet authority. Given her…history, that would certainly look bad on paper
"Can you open it?"
Michael swallowed, dropping her dark gaze to the red plastic, "No… not without going to someone with a higher clearance in Starfleet." That's mean…Captain Pike. Case law would have to abide given his captain status and the face he is Spock's commanding officer. He was in a better position than most to allow for it.
"Captain Pike, I know. Spock's spoken highly of him, I'm positive he'll help. If Starfleet is…hiding him from me—us, I need to know why." Desperation laced within her tone, trying to pull her into it yet…her emotions were untouched in Amanda's attempts. But Michael knew herself to know she'd do it. This was her last angle to work to find him; to find her drive in searching more about what had happened.
"Then…we should go to him. I anticipate he'll expect a visit." Michael could feel her ebbs of discomfort at the idea but again, this was not a day for that. She didn't want to give her mother any more concern about her than she already had.
Amanda's shoulders sagged with relief, her lips curling with a smile. "Thank you."