"Sir, the Braxton school called again, they insist it's urgent. Should I page the Lieutenant?"

"No, don't interrupt her, send it to my ready room. I'll be there in five minutes." Captain Pike answered his communication officer. When the viewscreen was activated, he was greeted by a tall, wiry, and anxious man.

"My apologies Captain, I believe there was a miscommunication with your officer. I need to contact …"

"She's unavailable," Pike interrupted. "Perhaps I can assist you."

"It is … it is personal. And you must be quite busy with more important matters."

Pike smiled graciously. "Not at the moment. And my officer did indicate your need was time sensitive."

"Very well. Thank you. A swift response is imperative. I am the headmaster at this school. There has been an … an incident with two of our pupils. One of your officers, Aalin Matthews, is the next emergency contact for them both, after their parents."

"Do they or does anyone require medical assistance?" Pike inquired.

"No, no. Again thank you. It is a family matter, a rather sensitive one, therefore I do need to speak directly with her. She is their aunt."

"Her family is also my family." Pike leaned against the table and waited.

"Oh, I was not aware of that; still, can she be reached?"

Pike crossed his arms in front of his chest. "I am here, and she is not, so how can I help?" He asked firmly, in his commander's tone of voice, reiterating the headmaster's one available choice.

"Legally, I cannot … not without permission from their parents, or at least proof you are related … but time is of the essence …" the headmaster stammered. "And your reputation proceeds you, I know your word can be trusted …"

"Shall we get on with it then?" Pike nudged impatiently.

The headmaster exhaled and looked relieved. "Will you come here? I'd rather explain this in person, and I have little time to avert serious and permanent consequences."

"Send the coordinates." Pike instructed.

Seated across the desk, Pike listened without interrupting as the headmaster explained. "… Due to the property damage and the unauthorized use of the dean's ground car, I have little choice but to turn the matter over to the local authorities and it will then become part of their permanent records. Given the extent and financial cost of the damage, with auto left involved, the charge will be a felony rather than a misdemeanor."

"I see. That is serious. And I remain unconvinced they should evade the consequences of their actions."

"The situation is more nuanced than it appears," the headmaster offered.

"Because you are unwilling to lose the patronage and financial support of an affluent and prominent family?" Pike demanded point blank, testing the man.

The educator's reaction was immediate and without affect. His head jerked back as if insulted and his gazed bored into Pike, emphasizing his retort, "Of course not! Here discipline, and reward for that matter, is meted out regardless of background and means."

You passed, Pike thought.

"Captain, you have young officers among your crew. When they make a spectacularly bad choice, do you always invoke the indicated legal punishment?"

Pike rubbed his chin. "Fair point, no I don't. OK, tell me why they deserve leniency."

"I'm not looking for leniency but rather diversion. They should be punished, or at the very least they need someone who can get through to them and stop this behavior before it reaches a point of no return. Zach and David are good kids. I am fond of them. They are smart, curious, and kind. And they have always been pranksters. That happens when the only way to get your parents' or grandparents' attention is to win a prize or get into trouble. I've seen it too frequently in my career." The headmaster sighed. "They will listen to their aunt, she's the only one in the family who has any true influence with them. Once she began working off-planet, their harmless pranks, which were mostly practical jokes, began escalating."

"Do you know what precipitated today's event?"

The headmaster shook his head. "Not specifically. Zach spoke with his father this morning. David is very protective of his younger brother. I suspect that set the wheels in motion."

"Aalin told me about being shipped off to boarding school when she was eight. I confess I can't wrap my head around that. My childhood was very different. At times I would have welcomed having less parental attention, but never that much disengagement."

"She hated it, she found boarding school isolating and lonely."

Pike raised an eyebrow. "You are acquainted?"

"Friends briefly when we were children, classmates. Until they uprooted her again a year later and sent her to the specialized music school. Her brothers and sisters exceled here. But it's not a good solution for all children. Zach and David are more like Aalin than their other aunts and uncles."

"What are you asking me to do?"

"If a member of Starfleet would take responsibility for them, especially a decorated Captain, I believe I can convince the dean not to press charges." The headmaster finished earnestly, "Please give them an alternative."

"Alright. Where are they?"

"Thank you, Captain, follow me."

Pike watched the two boys through the window of a small room. He estimated them to be sixteen and fourteen. They were slouched on a sofa, the older teen's body language radiated insolence, and his face was meticulously, and Pike surmised deliberately, composed in a bored expression; the younger looked scared.

This leave is the first time Aalin and I have had together off the ship, our first truly private time. Including two surly teenagers is not an option. I'll put the fear of God into them and then turn them over to Una for a couple of days filled with hard work on Enterprise. Yes, he smiled slightly, if anyone can put two punks on the straight and narrow, it's Number One. He turned to the headmaster, "I'll take it from here. They will be spending the next couple of days on my ship. My second in command will be in touch to coordinate their return."

"I'll leave you to it. Use the room as long as you like."

When Pike walked into the room the oldest boy looked him up and down, paying particular attention to Pike's uniform, and then said sarcastically, "You look like an overdressed, overpriced bell-hop."

"And you look like a 'I can't commit a crime without getting caught' delinquent, Pike countered and then demanded, "On your feet. Both of you."

The older boy, the one Pike assumed was David, continued, "You can't talk to us like that. Do you know who are parents are? And our grandparents?"

"In fact, I do. Now up. I won't ask again."

"That sounded more like an order than a request." David taunted.

Pike shrugged. They continued to ignore his instruction. Pike calmly walked over to the sofa, grabbed the back of their shirts, and hauled them to their feet. David was tall enough to meet Pike's eyes, Zach was a head shorter. David stared angrily at Pike. Zach looked down at the floor, avoiding eye contact.

David counted the stripes on Pike's uniform and sneered. "Once my father finds out you are manhandling us," he paused and then continued, emphasizing the next word as if it were an insult, "Ensign, you'll be busted back to … what's lower than Ensign?"

"Specialist or junior crewman," Pike offered helpfully. "A bit of free advice. Don't start an insult if you are not in possession of all the needed data. It loses its punch when you hesitate. And I doubt you want your father's attention right now."

David looked deflated after Pike called his bluff. "Go away and leave us alone. We want to go to jail."

"Since you have never experienced incarceration, much less inconvenience, I also doubt the veracity of that statement." Pike replied.

"Just who the hell are you?" David insisted.

"I'm your uncle, you may address me as Captain Pike. And watch your language."

Zach looked up and spoke for the first time. His voice was soft. "So you are the one who took her away from us."

The pain in Zach's expression and the sadness in his voice caught Pike off guard. Maybe I won't turn them over to Una just yet. He pulled out his communicator, "Three to beam to central transport in Mojave."