And here we are! Part II of this AU (or, as someone very aptly described it, the AU of the AU... though, shouldn't that have been AU of the AU of the AU? Seeing how AOS is, technically, already an AU of TOS... anyway!). Aside from the epic-academy-retelling-that-never-was... I always knew where I wanted this fic to go. I think I even mentioned it to one or two of my readers in the original M'aih series. When the time came... I almost didn't do it. To be honest, depending on my mood, I usually don't like going into Tarsus, why? There's so much trauma, so much pain and darkness there. I hope I've managed to make justice to things there. And while this is no darker than the series ever got (the series went way darker at points I think, especially in their own Tarsus-episode, even though they never actually went into detail regarding the events in the colony themselves, just the aftermath; still, I probably should warn that there's talks of a lot of death, and mention of torture, and since certain people were underage when it all happened, it counts as child neglicence/abuse too.

So, having said all that, on with the story!

Part II.

"I didn't know you spoke Klingon."

James didn't even react to Nyota's sudden appearance at his side. Thus far he'd successfully ignored Chapel, McCoy, M'Benga, and everyone else who'd tried to make him leave his spot, beside his husband's bedside. Sulu despite being his friend, or perhaps precisely because of that, hadn't even tried. Nyota on the other hand, called his attention enough to make him take the vegetarian wrap and plastic cup of green-tea she was holding out to him, before striking up easy conversation, not once trying to make him move with his spot, or even look away from his unconscious husband. She was a good friend like that. And one of very few who understood the depth of Vulcan bonds, the fact that there was nothing in the whole galaxy that could make him move from his telsu's side, not right then.

"I lived a year in Themys," James reminded her half-absently.

Being his and Spock's dearest friend meant that she was one of the few who knew more than the very basic about them, including how the two had met. She didn't know everything, of course not. She might know he'd been to Tarsus, but that was something he'd blurted out to the whole bridge-crew; she knew nothing of what he'd been through when there, and she was smart enough to be willing to listen if he chose to say anything, but never pry.

"Also, my knowledge of the language and willingness to deal with Klingons, without getting into or provoking fights, is the only reason I ever made enough as a civilian pilot to support M'aih and Cilaun while we lived in that colony." James pointed out. "Not many were willing to travel to the edges of the Neutral Zone, and sometimes even past it. Few civilians are even willing to land in places like Organia out of fear of ending involved in one conflict or another."

"But you did it." Nyota murmured, thoughtfully.

"At first it was necessity." James shrugged. "I made more money in a single trip to Organia than in three to any other part inside the Federation. M'aih and Cilaun are very capable, but even they need help sometimes. I refused to let them down."

A part of Nyota wondered who'd helped him… it was a question she'd never dare ask.

"It was what brought me to meeting T'Pau so… some might even call it fate, kismet…" He shook his head. "I didn't know there would be Klingons on Altair IV."

"No one did." Nyota whispered. "Not you, not Spock, not the Captain… there wasn't so much as a whisper. I'd have picked up on it."

"Yeah, you would have." James agreed.

If there was someone who knew Klingon as well as he did, perhaps even better, it was Nyota. So yes, James knew that no one had been aware there would be Klingons, no one could have. It wasn't like he was blaming anyone for what had happened to his husband. Not at all. It wasn't like he'd been the only one injured. They'd almost lost Lt. Nickel, several security officers were hurt, and Captain Pike was still in surgery. His back, again (he'd been badly hurt during the fight against the Narada, a year prior, when the Enterprise had entered the fray to stop the much bigger ship from obliterating one of the birds of prey).

"It's okay James, we're all safe now." Nyota whispered soothingly. "You got there in time. You saved them. We're all here, all safe. Captain Pike and Spock might not be at 100% but they will recover. That is a fact."

James nodded, whole body shuddering as he took a deep breath. He knew she was saying the truth, it was just so hard to convince his mind. It had been so close… What was supposed to be a simple mission, checking in with the population of Altair, the planet hadn't yet decided whether to join the Federation or not, and apparently someone on Earth believed that the Enterprise dropping by for the check-in would finally be what convinced them. They couldn't have known that Klingons would be there. Because, apparently, the Prime Minister from Altair had been in 'talks' with both the Federation and the Klingons for years, seeking concessions for the rare materials that could be found in their moons, trying to see who might offer more. A situation made all the more complicated as it turned out that the reserves of those materials weren't quite as great as he'd been claiming. When the Klingons found that out they turned violent, right around the time the Enterprise arrived. The Prime Minister had made it seem like the planet was being attacked by Klingons for no reason, prompting Pike to send aid to them.

Being as he was technically the Tactical Officer of the Enterprise James should have gone down with them, but his intuition had told him he was missing something. So instead he took a shuttle and went to the nearest moon, where he discovered the deception. He barely made it to the planet before anyone died. Even then, Pike was badly injured by then, barely conscious, and Spock had just gone down stopping one of the Klingons from killing their Captain while he was down. It was only the shock of James speaking Klingon fluently and with a perfect accent that stopped things long enough for everyone to actually listen to him and realize that they were being manipulated by a crooked bastard.

"What's your name human?" The Klingon warlord asked him at one point, curious.

"James Ravanok." The blonde answered promptly.

"Ravanok…" The Klingon repeated. "You do honor to your father's name, boy."

Honor, it was all about honor with Klingons, something James knew well. So he focused on that. Referring to the warlord in polite terms, always in Klingon, expressing how both Starfleet and the Klingons had been lied to, how their conflict would not benefit either party.

"You've conducted yourself with honor, Roj DevwI' (Peace leader)." The Klingon said eventually

James considered pointing out that he was no leader, he hardly even qualified as an officer yet! But in the end held his tongue, knowing it could be dangerous for someone who was still a potential enemy, to realize the two highest ranking officers from their ship were effectively down (Pike was still conscious, but barely and thoroughly incapacitated).

"There will be no war on this day." The warlord declared.

He did kill Altair's prime minister, but James had seen that one coming. After all, everything with Klingons was about honor, and what the man had done, dealing under the table with both the Federation and the Klingons, committing to none yet seeking concessions from both, that was extremely dishonorable. James didn't care. All he cared about was getting his husband, and everyone else back on the Enterprise and away from that planet as fast as possible.

"Where are we going now?" He asked Nyota eventually.

"Home," Nyota answered. "To Earth. Captain Pike is stable for now, but McCoy and M'Benga both agree he needs more than they can do while on a starship. Also, a communique just arrived for you, your last oral exam has been programmed for two days from now, 900 hours."

At least they were giving him enough time to see to his husband. Spock was in a healing trance and should be out of it by the morning. They'd be able to land, make it home to their apartment and rest for a while. Or well, Spock would rest while James studied some to be ready for his exam. It wasn't like he cared too much. A part of him still didn't fully see the point. It wasn't like he cared that much about being Starfleet officially. But he knew that Spock liked the idea, and their friends, like Nyota, Sulu, Scotty, and everyone else, they wanted him to be 'one of them'.

Also, James wasn't stupid. Pike wasn't going to die, but that didn't mean he'd fully recover. And he suspected that a part of the man might not be so against it, especially if it allowed him to stay home with his wife and kids. He knew (mostly because he'd heard others talking about it), that the original plan had been for Number One to return to her post as Pike's First Officer once their son was old enough that she didn't have to take him with her everywhere… but that was before she became pregnant with their second child. If Pike chose to stay grounded, that meant they'd need another captain, which could very well be Spock, he was more than qualified. As for who'd be First Officer in his place, it was impossible to know. It could be anyone in the command crew, or even an outsider. And if it was the latter… James refused to risk that person giving him a hard time about his position. While Starfleet regulations said that he and Spock couldn't be separated, him being allowed on the bridge crew was more than he expected originally. Now though, he couldn't imagine being anywhere else. So he'd attend classes (mostly virtually), study the materials and take all the tests necessary to become an officer of Starfleet, finally.

xXx

"What do you mean you need me to testify on the events of Tarsus?" James demanded sharply.

The day had started so well. He woke up early, had some amazing morning sex with his husband, took a shower (water, as it relaxed him far more than sonics, and it was a luxury he could and did take advantage of fairly often when planet-side), then he went to take his last exam, an oral one. It seemed to go on forever, and yet James was relaxed, not just because of the sex, but because he knew the things, had confidence in himself, and the fact that he wasn't obsessed with the results allowed him to go in without over-stressing himself. It wasn't that he'd have tried harder if he'd actually cared, he wasn't the kind to ever give anything less than his best; but still, it kept him from freaking out or something.

When the Admirals were finally finished testing him he went to pick up his husband and the two went to their favorite restaurant, down by the pier. Far away enough from Starfleet HQ for James to get to bring out his bike. It wasn't Spock's favorite mode of transportation but James enjoyed getting to ride it, and even more having his telsu's arms around his waist, lithe body pressed against his back, as they rode.

It had been a good day, until they answered the summons from Admiral Liu and heard what the woman wanted from them, or more specifically, from James. Apparently the psycho bastard's daughter was delusional or something, trying to argue extenuating circumstances and who-knows-what-else, claiming that her father wasn't a psychopathic bastard, despite the fact that he was responsible for the deaths of more than 5,000 colonists. And the Federation courts were actually allowing the matter to go to trial!

"You need to understand Mr. Ravanok, there's a lot about what happened those days, during the Tarsian Revolution, that remains unclear to this day…" Liu began.

"Revolution? What happened in Tarsus was no fucking revolution." James practically roared. "Revolution implies movement of the people, what happened in Tarsus was a fucking massacre! Kodos is a psychopathic bastard who believed himself the freaking messiah! Who chose to play god with the lives of eight thousand colonists, deciding who lived and who died!"

"See, I agree completely with you Mr. Ravanok, the problem is proving it." Liu told him somberly, not taking his outburst personal at all.

Her own niece Lauren Walter and her family had died in that colony. Liu wanted nothing more than for Kodos to rot in prison for the rest of his life… but Lenore Kodos had managed to attract public attention, and to create just enough doubt to make that whole mess necessary.

"Will you be calling on those who testified during the previous trial?" Spock wanted to know.

"There's no one to call." Liu admitted. "There's no previous trial, no previous anything. That's what Miss Kodos is using in her and her father's favor. At the time it was simple enough. An open and shut case. 5,629 colonists died on Tarsus, of the few who were willing to point fingers all pointed them straight at Adrian Kodos."

"If that worked then, what's changed?" Barnett wanted to know.

With Pike still recovering from his surgery he'd decided to step in as a 'superior officer' in case James and Spock needed advising.

"This hasn't been made public just yet but, in the last six months, all individuals over the age of thirty who identified Adrian Kodos as the one to make the decision that ended with the loss of the lives of all those colonists have died."

"Suspicious circumstances?" Spock wanted to know.

"Not technically." Liu shrugged. "If one were to look at each death separately they'd see nothing special about them. One died of the Corillian flu, another of the one cancer that still has no cure, the third got mugged, the fourth drowned during a vacation to a pleasure planet. And that's the ones who were free, those that were in jail all died in various riots, fights and other such things. Separate each of those deaths is completely unremarkable. Put together…"

"You said everyone over thirty, what of those under thirty?" Barnett asked, curious.

"It's been argued that they'd have been too young at the time of the re… the tragedy, no older than twelve at the most, and thus their memories cannot be fully trusted." Liu explained. "Mr. Ravanok would be the only exception, being still alive and having been more than a child at the time the events on Tarsus took place…"

"Fifteen." James offered quietly. "I was fifteen at the time the massacre happened." Something else occurred to him. "M'aih was there too. We actually arrived to Tarsus when I was twelve, lived three years there before the fungus destroyed the crops and the food stores." He shook his head. "My point is, she was there, she's a survivor as well."

"I know, we've sent her a missive requesting her presence as well." Liu nodded. "After all, two witnesses are better than one."

Yes, two witnesses were better than one, even though James couldn't begin to fathom how he was going to be able to handle it. Over a decade later he still had nightmares about what had happened during those months sometimes, especially when he came so close to losing her, losing one of the most important people in his life: his m'aih…

xXx

"The revolution is successful. But survival depends on drastic measures. Your continued existence represents a threat to the well-being of society. Your lives mean slow death to the more valued members of the colony. Therefore, I have no alternative but to sentence you to death. Your execution is so ordered, signed Kodos, Governor of Tarsus IV."

Those words kept echoing inside James's mind as the days passed and the trial went on. It was awful, to listen to that monster's lawyers trying to justify the unjustifiable, the death of thousands of men, women and children, trying to blame the very people who'd died for the tragedy. After all, Kodos hadn't actually killed anyone, had he? They had all killed each other. Also, the mention of revolution… they kept trying to sell to the public the idea that there had been in fact one, that the people had rebelled in some way and in Kodos's attempt at pacifying them things had gone out of control, ending with more than half the colonizers dead.

Even M'aih's testimony on the second day wasn't doing much. She hadn't been there the day the announcement was made, or when nearly 4,000 people had died, having instead been in her ranch-house, with James and around a dozen other kids, all whose parents had died the very first day under 'unconfirmed circumstances'…

The worst part was the nightmare James kept having, repeatedly:

T'Lura, his m'aih was there, in an off-white long tunic, sandals and a coral pink veil arranged in such a way it covered her hair and the upper half of her face, hiding her unseeing eyes and the scars around them; she was rushing. Thankfully most of the remaining food, clothes and a good number of blankets were packed already. The children knew what to do, she'd taught them everything she could, the rest was up to them. They'd talked about that moment, prepared for it, they were ready… but there was someone who refused to go so easily.

"Come with us." The blonde, blue-eyed fifteen-year old, her boy, her James, said.

"You know I cannot do that James." She told him softly, running two fingers through his messy hair. "I'm a liability to you kids. With these blind eyes..."

"That's never stopped you before, you can handle it." He insisted.

"It's not the same." She told him kindly. "I've grown used to living this way, but you've gotta run, you have to survive. I won't be a burden James. I will not put your life, and the lives of those little ones at risk."

"So you will give up then?" Realizing begging wouldn't work, he became confrontational.

"No, I'm giving you a chance." She replied.

"M'aih..." He began, voice quivering with held down sobs.

"Go taluhk (precious)..." She whispered, pressing a very human kiss to his brow.

He didn't like it, hated himself even as he did it, but still he took little Mattie from Tessa's arms, while she pulled the heaviest bag of food over her back. He still hesitated, not wanting to leave without his m'aih, but not wanting to disobey her either, looking over his shoulder even as he followed the others to the backdoor of the house.

There was someone pounding at the front door, angry voices outside.

*Run James!* The cry was in Vulcan, and it rang inside his mind.

"Run." He hissed at the children.

And run he did.

He hated those dreams, always woke up panting, breathless, with a scream logged in his throat. It'd take forever for his telsu to help him calm down, though he never went back to sleep. The one time he tried to convince Spock he should sleep elsewhere… it was the only time they'd fought, seriously fought, in years. In the end Spock won, he refused to abandon his telsu, no matter what, even losing sleep wouldn't make him do it, nothing ever would. He loved James too much to let him go through something so traumatic alone.

The thing was, that wasn't how things had gone that day, not really. Because M'aih hadn't stayed behind, to fight off the executioners and give the kids time to run. In the end James had convinced her to go with them. The two of them, and the children, spent three months moving around. Tarsus IV wasn't very big, but they were nothing if not resourceful, and they never gave up. They found some people in the colony willing to help them, to share with them what little they had… and they also met those who had no compunction about giving them up to the so-called authorities, believing it'd allow them to get a greater share for themselves, a better chance for their own families. It was terrible, the very best and the worst of living sentient beings, all at the same time.

James knew from the very beginning that sooner or later something was bound to give. That their situation couldn't last forever… he and Tessa were alone, the day the guards caught up with them. He could have run, he knew he could have. He was taller, faster, stronger, he could have made it, but he couldn't even think about abandoning the young girl, barely thirteen… so instead he threw himself against the men, he fought and clawed and bit, fought like a cornered animal, a fight he knew from the start he'd never win… And Tessa, the bright, gentle child… she refused to leave him, and because of it, she died.

James didn't die, he was captured, 'interrogated' (which was their very nice, very hypocritical way of calling their torture) by Kodos personally. Truth was, Kodos was afraid, terrified, of James and his 'little group of rebels' as he called them. The fact that he kept sending every man and woman under his command after them, and couldn't catch them. He'd done his best to persuade, cajole, and even threatened the remaining colonists, but even those that cooperated, it was never enough. And more and more of his people, his 'chosen' kept dying. What was the point of having absolute power, of getting to choose who lived and who died, if the ones he wanted dead didn't die, and the ones meant to live kept dying? James's only comfort through all those days of darkness and pain was that Tessa never had to go through it, she might be dead, but at least she hadn't had to suffer anymore. It was cold comfort, but better than if he'd been forced to listen to her cries and her screams… and he'd have, because he'd never have given up the others, M'aih and the children under their protection. None of them ever would.

In the end Kodos tried to make an example out of him. Ordered his execution, public: a hanging. He was probably hoping that M'aih and the others would show up to try and rescue him. Had all his remaining men posted around the plaza, ready to open fire. The one thing he didn't expect was what ended up happening: for the whole of the remaining colonists to choose that very moment to finally rebel. It seemed that the old saying was true: Darkness truly can only endure for so long…

Even with the unexpected rebellion, it was only thanks to the arrival of Starfleet, a whole six weeks ahead of their most optimistic projections, that stopped the whole population from killing each other that day. Even Kodos, he'd tried to use James as a hostage, or a bargaining chip or something, and when James resisted he ended with his throat slashed open. Only the fact that T'Lura was so close saved him, she dropped the human with a Vulcan neck pinch and then hurried to staunch the bleeding on her son.

James almost died. It turned out that the ship that got there, they weren't a big ship or anything. Mostly a bunch of cadets doing training maneuvers, who decided to try and be of help. The Yorktown, with brand new captain: Christopher Pike, was still several days, perhaps as long as a week, away. The cadet's ship, the Reliant, didn't have any real medics on board, and the ones on Tarsus couldn't be trusted, not with everything going on. So in the end they decided to make a gamble, T'Lura and James were put on an emergency shuttle and sent to the closest planet with a decent hospital. Something went wrong with the programming and they ended in Themys instead. It wasn't all so bad really, while Themys's hospital might not have been as advanced as some in other planets and colonies, the doctors and nurses there were good enough to save James's life. He still had a scar that ran across his neck, and he always would, but it's not like it was the first, or the last… It also so happened that their leaving Tarsus IV as they did, and ending in a place that wasn't planned, made it so they fell through the cracks when the tragedy was investigated. T'Lura Ravanok was declared missing, to surface in Vulcan over a year later; while her adopted son: James Tiberius Kirk, was declared dead (there was no registry of him in any Federation hospital, and more than a few people had seen him in T'Lura's arms, and losing so much blood)… Somehow no one ever connected pilot James Ravanok to him. Then again, Tarsus IV was such a dark stain on the Federation's History that most did their best to forget it ever happened. Until Lenore Kodos came and made a mess of everything.

James's testimony, when he was finally called to the stand, certainly shook things up. Kodos's lawyers had insisted on the Admiral-judge being in no way connected to the events in Tarsus, or to any of those who'd been there (either victims or survivors), while the jury was comprised of people who knew as little as possible about the colony or what had happened there. Half hadn't even known a place called Tarsus IV ever existed.

With their bond wide-open and his husband mentally cuddled up to him for support, James managed to go through a complete retelling of the events in Tarsus IV during the last three and a half months he'd been there. The rest of his family were in the courtroom too, and even with all their Vulcan apparent lack of emotion, James found the presence of every single one of them comforting. Amanda was the only one reacting emotionally to James's narration, and even she was controlled enough to call very little attention to it (and, James had no doubt, Sarek must be doing his best to help her through their bond as well; the kids were with a sitter).

It was obvious that James's testimony wasn't something Kodos's team could have been expecting or planned for. The DA made sure to keep the names of his two newest witnesses tightly under wraps. The lawyers tried to find some way to discredit the Ravanoks, with T'Lura it was simply a matter of stating that she hadn't 'seen' anything that would indicate Kodos was truly responsible for all the deaths. As far as she knew the soldiers could have been acting of their own volition. Perhaps even rightfully so, it was a revolution, after all… What no one could have ever predicted was the strategy they'd use to discredit James…

"What do you mean I do not exist, I'm standing right here!" James snarled.

"Of course, of course." The defense attorney stated, his voice was shrill, the placid tone clearly fake. "I am not denying your presence here sir. You claim to be called James Ravanok, but what proof have he that you are him, or that James Ravanok exists at all?"

The lawyer went into a long, winding speech about T'Lura's history. Putting special emphasis on her marriage to Lieutenant Van Ravanok, and their only child: T'Ara Ravanok, born stillborn on 2233.05. It was in T'Lura's medical file that the birth had been so traumatic, and she lost so much blood, that she was left barren. Her womb unable to ever support another pregnancy, even if she'd ever taken another mate (which she never would have, she loved Van too much… so much that the breaking of their bond had left her bond-center damaged, it was a miracle that she was able to bond with James as she did, even if the bond between parent and child was different from that between mates). It was a terrible thing to bring up, but it brought the point they were trying for home: the blonde, blue-eyed human on the stand couldn't be James Ravanok, son of Van and T'Lura Ravanok, because they never had a son. And if he was lying about his identity, then it was impossible to prove his credibility and his whole testimony was brought into question.

"The witness is a member of Starfleet, surely his identity can be proven through his file." The judge stated, clearly not having expected that.

Vice-Admiral Susan Sackett had been brought to judge the case because she was in no way connected to Tarsus. She also hadn't been on Earth in over a decade, which probably made it unsurprising that she'd know nothing about James's very particular circumstances. She really didn't like learning about them. About the fact that the human had made use of an obscure but still technically current section in the Starfleet norms to ensure that his genetic code remain sealed, only accessible to himself and whoever he designated as next of kin (in this case, his Vulcan bondmate and husband). Even his doctor, Leonard McCoy, CMO of the USS Enterprise couldn't access the file without express permission from one of them.

"So you see, your honor, how can the witness's statement be believed, when everything about him may as well be a lie?" Kodos's lawyer finished.

James was so furious, he didn't even notice when he jumped to his feet, hands tightened into fists and only the very tacit reminder in the back of his head from his telsu of where exactly he was, stopped him from attacking the man.

"Mr. Ravanok!" The judge called loudly. "Sit down or I will be forced to hold you in contempt."

James was almost shaking with rage, but he knew that it'd be a bad idea to antagonize the woman. She wasn't his enemy. In fact, he was quite sure that just with what she'd heard since the beginning of the trial she believed Kodos to be guilty of every single crime he was accused of, same as the jury. However, if they weren't able to make his testimony legal, then it'd be pointless. It put James in a situation he never wanted to be in. There was a reason he'd seen the official death of James Kirk as a blessing. It was an opportunity to him, to leave behind the father who died a martyr and the mother who never wanted him. He could finally be more than just the son of George Kirk, the hero, the martyr, the legend… the boy who looked too much but didn't act at all like the father he was always hearing about, always being compared to, though he'd never met him. Tarsus was the worst kind of hell, and yet in the aftermath James was free for the first time ever. Free to be just himself, just James…

Kodos was a monster. There was no doubt about that. He was the kind of sick monster who believed he had the right to decide who lived and who died. James knew such a psychopath couldn't allowed to go free, and if it all depended on him…

*Spock…* The blonde couldn't help himself, he reached instinctively for his telsu through their bond, needing his reassurance, his support, in that moment more than ever.

*I am here k'diwa.* The half-Vulcan, half-human replied, as serene and reliable as ever. *As I always have been, and always will be.*

*Parted from me and never parted…* James let the memory of their bonding ceremony (or at least, the one where they'd made official what happened automatically the moment the two of them first touched).

*Never and always touching and touched.* Spock replied automatically.

In the end, it was an easy decision to make.

"Your Honor, if I may?" He stated with his most charming smile. "If I could be allowed to speak freely, I can clarify this matter easily enough."

"Of course Mr…" The judge just waved her hand, clearly not sure what she should be calling him anymore. "Speak."

"My name is James Ravanok, that is fact." James stated, looking around, focusing at a few people at a time. "Has been since I was adopted at the age of twelve by T'Lura Ravanok, widow of Van Ravanok. I was born here on Earth, where I lived the first twelve years of my life. Shortly after my adoption we left, traveled to Tarsus IV, where we lived for three years, as has already been established in my own testimony." He cocked his head to a side. "It is also a fact that even before the plague Governor Kodos liked to limit the access the colonists had to certain things: like weapons, and technologies. Some believed this was because the colony liked living like that, like a return to the old times of Earth, before technology…" He shook his head. "I only mention this because it's relevant, as it explains why the people in the colony didn't have my name change on record. So instead upon our arrival I was registered with the name I had before my adoption. The name of a boy I didn't care for being anymore, not before Tarsus, and especially not after the massacre. And hear you me, what happened in that colony was no revolution, it was a massacre. It was one insane, psychopathic bastard deciding to play god with the lives of eight thousand people who depended too much on him…"

"Mister, unless you have a point to this speech…" The defense attorney snapped.

It was clear that the jury were listening to him, were sympathizing, and the lawyer knew that would be very bad for his client.

"I was declared dead, there in Tarsus IV, or at least, the boy I once was, was." James ignored the man and kept going. "See, the day it all came to a head. Governor Kodos intended to execute me. Hoping to either make an example out of me, or use me as bait to draw out my mom and the children we'd been looking after. Whom he tried to make me give up for days yet never managed. When he couldn't hang me, he cut my throat open," he pulled the collar of his shirt down just enough to show the scar, thin but still there, silvery against his tanned skin. "Mom and the few people with first-aid training around could barely keep me alive long enough to get me to an actual hospital. Which was in Themys. I was in a medically induced coma for several weeks, and by the time I woke up I was legally dead." He exhaled. "I never cared for it. Was happy enough to sign my name as James Ravanok and move on with my life. After all, that was who I'd been for three years already. Why should I care about any other name? Though apparently you do care. So I will say it here and now. My name is James Ravanok, son of Van and T'Lura Ravanok by adoption. However…" He squared his shoulders, took a deep breath and, mentally holding tightly to his beloved, said the words that would change everything, once and for all: "I was born James Tiberius Kirk, son of George and Winona Kirk…"

The response to that statement was absolute pandemonium.

xXx

Two weeks later James was practically going nuts. He and Spock had been forced to abandon their apartment and instead stay with their parents and siblings in the Vulcan Embassy, as it was the only way they could even look out their windows without finding a reporting drone waiting for them. It wasn't that they didn't love their families, because they did, but they also loved their apartment. It was Theirs, their home, had been since Spock proposed (the human way) and James decided he was willing to stop piloting across the galaxy and stay with his telsu. The two men had chosen that apartment together, Spock because of the space, the minimalist decor and the gardens on the lower floors, including a stone garden very much like the one in the Vulcan Embassy; while James just loved the view, especially during the night, they were high enough they could actually see the stars even with the light pollution of San Francisco.

But the reporters were a problem, had been since the end of the trial. The trial which had ended in a most unexpected manner. Following James's extremely shocking revelation at the end of his testimony Kodos' lawyer had hurried to request a recess so he might talk to his client about the recent revelations. Neither he nor anyone else ever expected Lenore's reaction. The woman had gone completely batshit insane, she'd ranted and wailed about Kirk being some kind of monster, or an apparition or something, and how she wouldn't allow him to ruin her plans, not when she'd worked so hard… security tried to restrain her, but she managed to take one of their phasers, pointing it at James. The part that shocked everyone the most, was when her father stepped in between the two, trying to reason with her. Apparently Kodos, psychopathic insane bastard that he was, still loved his daughter, he wanted to believe that she was pure, good, 'the only good thing he ever had a hand in' according to his own words. Only Lenore was apparently just as insane as he. Perhaps even more so, considering that the woman ended shooting her own father when he tried to convince her to stop what she was doing… security tried to stun her, but when she fell she hit her head on the way down, cracking her skull and dying almost instantly.

So, the trial was over. There was no need to continue when the accused was dead already. They'd also learned that Lenore was behind the deaths of all the 'adult witnesses' of the tragedy. So, with the Kodoses dead, it was probably to be expected that the reporters would turn their attention to the biggest story they could find in the aftermath of that insanity, and what could be bigger than the son of hero and martyr Captain George Kirk being alive after all?

There was a reason James never wanted to take that name and yet… he knew he couldn't let Kodos go, either of them. Knew that someone had to stop them, and if he was the only one who could, and if to do it he had to take back the name he never wanted, then he'd do it. James has never been the kind of man to put his own wants above the welfare of others. Besides, they'd be leaving Earth soon, the Enterprise was supposed to be heading to New Vulcan before the end of the month. T'Pau requested their presence as they officially opened their new planet to the rest of the Federation. After a whole year building and settling down, they were finally ready.

Truth was that while Nero might not have managed to fulfill his goal of destroying Vulcan, the planet was simply too unstable for them to stay there. It was too dangerous. Ni'Var wasn't feasible, for the same reason the place had remained uninhabited until the Rishek built their own colony there. Thankfully it took very little time for Selek to find a world that fit the needs of the Vulcan people. It wasn't the same as their old one, but good enough. And while there was no doubt that a lot of Vulcans hadn't liked needing to move to a different planet, they were all too aware of how easily things could have gone differently, how close they all came to having their planet be destroyed with most of them still on it, so most of them didn't actually complain. Which Spock claimed would have never happened, regardless of any particular circumstances because complaining for something one cannot change was illogical… then again, so was being a xenophobic asshole and in the years he'd lived in Vulcan (even though he spent more than half that time off-planet for work) James was able to ascertain that there were more than a few of those among the population. Including Spock's old betrothed.

And hadn't that been a funny situation? When the rumor-mill got going (something else that was supposed to be illogical yet existed nonetheless) and it got out that Spock was going to bond with the human son of a Vulcan lady T'Pring's father had gone to Sarek to demand… compensation or tribute, or something for intending to break the bond Spock already had to his daughter. A bond that was so weak that the vulcan girl in question didn't even realize when it broke. James was certain that hadn't she been vulcan, and the matriarch of the House of Surak, Lady T'Pau would have laughed at the male's look when that tidbit was revealed to him (it was how the fact that James and Spock were t'hy'la became effectively public knowledge).

In any case, the Enterprise would be taking off soon. Or that was the plan, as soon as Pike made Spock his official relief and the new Captain of the USS Enterprise, then Spock would be able to pick his First Officer and they'd be off…

xXx

Finally the day came. As they got dressed in their Starfleet uniforms James had a stray thought that he was beginning to get used to the clothes, even the golden-shirt, so different from the red one he'd been sure he'd end up using when first signing up as a civilian pilot.

For the first time in weeks the outside of the Vulcan Embassy was devoid of reporters. James suspected that they must all be at Starfleet HQ or something. It wasn't like it was a secret that he'd be receiving his official commission that day. The blonde thought it was ridiculous, it wasn't like Starfleet could post him anywhere but on the Enterprise, their own regulations wouldn't allow for anything else.

*Ready t'hy'la?* His telsu asked through the bond.

*With you by my side?* James asked rhetorically. *Always ashal-veh…*

He was right of course, there was a literal mob of reporters in and around the main courtyard of Starfleet HQ. James took a deep breath before stepping out of the diplomatic transport and walking. Spock at his side, their shoulders barely brushing, and yet even that small touch was enough to keep them both centered. Neither of them so much as looked at the press, the fans or anyone else around them. They didn't matter.

The first surprise came when James saw that the whole crew of the Enterprise was there. Though at least he found the explanation easily enough, as the first order of business turned out to be Pike's promotion to Admiral. The man was still on a wheelchair, his wife Number One (no one but Pike himself seemed to know the woman's name) behind him, a toddler on a stroller beside her, and her lower belly just beginning to round; regardless of the circumstances, James had gotten to know Pike enough that he didn't doubt that even if the man never got to walk again (which was still unknown) he would make a hell of an Admiral.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, the time came for what they were truly waiting for, and that was when James got his second surprise:

"This assembly calls Captain James Tiberius Kirk-Ravanok."

James was so absolutely shocked he didn't so much as move, he didn't seem to even draw breath for several seconds.

*T'hy'la…*

It was Spock's words that eventually made him react, as he stepped forward and walked slowly towards Admiral Barnett, who was leading the ceremony. He could practically see the glint of humor in the man's eyes, he was enjoying himself, having shocked James. It took everything in the blonde not to blurt out the thoughts running through his mind: Captain?! What the hell was he thinking? What the hell were any of them thinking?! He was barely Starfleet at all, and they decided he ought to be Captain of the freaking flagship?!

*You can do this k'diwa…* Spock whispered in the back of his mind.

James held onto his telsu, and onto the memory of his own words not even an hour earlier. They were still true: as long as they were together, he'd be ready. And they were, in fact, together. They would always be. For they were t'hy'la, always had been, and always would be. As the other Spock (Selek, whatever name he went by) had proven, they were a universal constant.

"By Starfleet Order two-eight four five five, you are hereby directed to report to Admiral Pike, USS Enterprise, for duty as his relief." Barnett went on.

James nodded formally to him before going to stand before Pike.

"I relieve you, sir." He stated formally.

"I am relieved." Pike replied in the same tone.

James said nothing more. He didn't know what to say. Eventually Pike took pity on him.

"You deserve this, Captain." Pike assured him.

James arched a brow, not quite ready to admit his disbelief, but unable to hide it entirely.

*Look up ashaya, look at your crew.* Spock instructed in the back of his mind.

So James did. He raised his head and looked at all the people behind Pike. On the first row there was the Alpha Command Crew, all the people he'd gotten to know best in the year he'd been on the Enterprise: Nyota Uhura, Hikaru Sulu, Pavel Chekov, Leonard McCoy, Gregory Hendorff, Carol Marcus and Montgomery Scott… and behind them were so many others, most of whom James recognized in one way or another. They were all there, standing at attention… and then they did a salute… they saluted him… James's response was instinctive as he straightened up sharply, returning the salute.

It was clear that they knew about his appointment before he did. And they approved… James had no words with which to reply to that. But that was okay, words would have been pointless anyway. It'd be through his actions that he'd be able to show the crew (his crew! He was a captain!) that he was truly worth it, deserving of the trust they put on him.

It wasn't like he hadn't known that his husband just wasn't interested in being Captain. Even being a First Officer was more than he intended when first joining Starfleet, and the only reason he accepted was because Pike assured him he could remain Science Officer as well (and only being half-Vulcan and a genius allowed him to handle the duties of both positions at the same time). It wasn't like James had never fantasized, wondered, what it might be like, being a captain, the one calling the shots; he also hadn't forgotten Pike's words, the day he was 'persuaded' into joining Starfleet, for real:

"…be command, for real, and ensure that your orders will be the one others will follow, always."

A part of him wondered if Pike might have been planning it all along… But did it matter? Really? Probably not. He was the Captain, with Spock as his First Officer (and much more importantly: his husband, his telsu), and as long as they were together they were ready for anything.

So... did you like it? I hope you did.

Next week you'll be getting the first of two parts of the other AU (AU times three?) yoD'. Which, just to remind you all, goes into what would happen if, when Winona died, James decided to stay with Kariva and the rest of the crew? And what would happen when, years later, they get the news of a huge ship that's just destroyed dozens of Klingon troops?

I've also just recently finished writing a One-Shot fic called "T'hy'la. Written in the Stars" which I describe, essentially as 'Jim and Spock going from Strangers to Soulmates in five acts...' and you'll get a few surprises if you decide to read it.

Please don't forget to like/kudo and leave review/comment! Tell me what you liked, what you didn't, what you'd like to see in other fics. Thanks for reading and I hope to see you around!