A/N: The events in this story take place before the Battle of the Binary Stars. Prime Georgiou is in commander of the Shenzhou, Michael is its first officer, and Saru is its second officer.

Day 1

Pike greeted Philippa Georgiou in the transporter room. "Welcome to Enterprise Captain," he said as she stepped off the platform.

"Always a pleasure to visit the flagship," Georgiou responded in her unique lyrical tone, "and it gives me the chance to measure the big chair …," she flashed an impish grin before continuing, "for size."

"Hmmm." His smile didn't reach his eyes.

"Don't aim those dimples at me. It's a waste of ammunition." Georgiou teased again, curious why Pike didn't engage in their usual banter.

"Yeah," Pike responded distractedly as he gestured to the door.

When they were alone in the turbolift, she asked, "Is this a personal or professional visit?"

"Professional." Pike hurriedly added, "Not that one precludes the other."

"Why the secrecy?"

When he turned to her, she saw concern etched in his furrowed brow and a slight twitch in his cheek. Usually his eyes held a hint of mischief; today they were cloudy and troubled. "I have a crewmember missing on Noohra. I couldn't take the chance of including that in my message if the Aschaski are monitoring the ship's comms and have broken our cyphers.

"How can I and my crew help?"

"I need an objective Captain in the room," was his cryptic reply.

Una, Boyce, Spock, Enterprise's security chief and second officer, Commander Isak Bengsston, and the head nurse, Matt, were assembled in the ready room when Pike and Georgiou entered. She acknowledged each with a tilt of her head and chose a seat opposite from her counterpart. There isn't a more open-minded commander in the fleet than Christopher Pike, she thought, what the hell is going on?

Pike nodded to Spock. The science officer said, "I believe it is prudent to start at the beginning. As you know, the Shenzhou crew managed relief supply distribution on Noohra while Enterprise set up mobile field hospitals near the fighting. I, along with Matt, was in charge of one such deployment in the Har mountains."

"Much of the heaviest fighting occurred within and around the small communities that dot that mountain range where bauxite is plentiful. The Aschaski have already setup extraction operations for the mineral, conscripting the local population to perform the work."

"The indigenous people in this area speak six unique dialects of the planet's common language. Our universal translator was unable to accurately process these variations necessitating another solution. Due to the typical urban rural divide that is common in early industrial societies, few in the cities spoke those dialects fluently, few in the mountain towns spoke both their dialects and the common language; therefore, our need outstripped available native resources."

"This was a serious and deadly problem. Our medical personnel could not fully understand the patients' description of their symptoms and injuries, and the rural peoples, who are innately suspicious of technology and outsiders, were further put off by the disconcerting mismatch of the translations from our equipment to moving lips. Fewer and fewer who required our help came to the field hospital and those that did, at times, received the wrong treatment. Two months ago, Lieutenant Matthews joined our camp as an interpreter."

"Ah," Georgiou interjected. "And she is the crewman who is still on the surface?"

"Yes." Pike answered in a tight, clipped tone.

Interesting reaction, she thought. "Please continue Mr. Spock, I apologize for the interruption."

"In addition to her language skills, the Lieutenant brought another advantage, physically she resembles the mountain inhabitants. With Captain Pike's permission, we began an outreach program to the local population."

Matt chuckled.

Georgiou raised an eyebrow. "Lieutenant?"

"Just Matt, my Betazed surname name is a bit much for humans. Aalin … Lieutenant Matthews that is, was less than enthused with our means of reaching those villages."

"An oio." Spock clarified. "A domesticated animal similar to the equines on Earth. Beaming was strictly limited to designated sending and receiving sites."

Matt looked to his Captain. "I believe her exact comment was 'I'll walk. No sensible person uses transportation with a mind of its own.'"

That elicited smiles around the table including a genuine one from Pike who added, "She also requested a shorter oio for 'that inevitable moment when I tumble off'."

"Which, I repeat and remind once again, was highly illogical as the Captain selected the gentlest oio for her and personally saddled and bridled it. He also …" Spock began.

Boyce suddenly found the ceiling interesting. Isak and Matt exchanged knowing glances; Matt having described to his husband how Pike's hands lingered on Aalin's waist longer than needed after helping her mount the oio and how he had triple checked the stability of her saddle and the length of her stirrups. Una nodded almost imperceptivity when Georgiou glanced in her direction. Pike signaled Spock to move on.

Spock cleared his throat. "In time, after repeatedly interacting with an off-worlder who looked like them, who dressed like them …

Including cropping her hair to chin length mimicking the local style, Pike thought with a twinge of disappointment, having spent more time than he cared to admit imagining the feel of her long silky tresses running through his fingers.

"… and who learned their specific language, the villagers accepted our relief supplies and permitted treatment from the accompanying doctors and nurses. Which brings us to yesterday's events." Spock finished.

"We should talk about the orphanage." Matt prompted.

"Yes, please proceed." Spock replied.

"As Aalin came to be trusted by the mountain people …" Isak shot him that look. Matt aimed a thought at Isak, avoiding her first name will not make this easier for him, before continuing "… they brought the orphaned children to her. Some of the children lost their parent in the fighting, other parents were forced into the mines. We established a home for the orphans about five miles away from the field hospital. A male religious order provided the daily care, and we gave them supplies. As the Aschaski moved deeper and deeper into the mountains, parents brought their children to the hospital begging us to keep them safe. Yesterday, Aalin, Spock, two security guards and I made a final trip to the home taking enough food and water for ten days. This is what we found …"

There was no movement. No children playing in the courtyard. No smoke billowing from the chimneys. The senior guard drew his weapon. "Wait here," he said briskly to the group as he waved his partner forward. Ten minutes later he reported to Spock, "No hostiles. And no sign of the monks. The children are huddled together in the great room. Most are crying."

Before Spock could respond, Aalin was running to the building shouting back, "I'll talk to them, find out what happened." Spock motioned for one of the guards to follow her and took out his communicator in order to call the Captain. It replied with static. "One or both armies must have started jamming communications when the battle front shifted north this morning," he surmised out loud.

Once inside, they found Aalin sitting in the floor, surrounded by children, most talking simultaneously. Two toddlers had climbed into her lap. She handed the toddlers to the security guard and approached Spock. "Aschaski soldiers came this morning. They took the monks and the eldest males. And the supplies."

Matt and Spock exchanged glances. "We could take them with us," Matt suggested.

The senior guard shook his head. "Over one hundred children walking several miles? We'd never make the beam-out deadline required by the cease-fire. Even without the children we will barely make it back in time."

"Our field hospital is now behind enemy lines and only Federation personnel are guaranteed safe passage." Spock reminded the group.

"I'd wager this spot will also be behind enemy lines before the day is over," the guard added.

Aalin was silently watching the children. Matt spoke emphatically, "We can't leave them here alone."

"No one is suggesting that Lieutenant," Spock replied quietly.

"There is a village nearby, we could take them there," Matt suggested.

"It was overrun two days ago," the guard reminded him.

Spock glanced at their interpreter, who was staring at the children with a far-away, unfocused look. Her left hand was against her mouth, fingers curled down and thumb against her closed lips, as if she were about to nibble at its nail. Dropping that arm to her side, she said in a quiet voice. "I could take them south."

The three male officers turned in unison towards her.

"I can pass for a native. There are rumors of trails over the mountains, trails that lead to the capital city. We could be there in ten days, in time for the last refugee transports."

The other officers spoke at once.

Aalin focused her attention on Spock and pleaded in a rushed yet determined tone of voice. "It's logical. We cannot leave them here without someone to care for them, and we cannot get them to the ship. Is there another alternative?"

"Are you truly aware of the risks?" Spock asked softly.

Squaring her shoulders, Aalin replied, "I am."

After considering, Spock reluctantly gave his permission.

"I and one of the guards will go with you," Matt stated forcefully.

"No, alone, I am a harmless woman fleeing to safety with children who are not useful to them. If you accompany us, we become targets."

Matt concluded his narration with, "Our guard sketched a map for her of the trail used by the local resistance for smuggling people to safety. There should be shelter and supplies along their path."

Pike asked, "Number One, is there any wiggle room in the cease-fire agreement? Can we get a dispensation for beaming these children aboard?"

"No sir. The terms are iron-clad."

Pike turned to his science officer. "Spock, can we locate Lieutenant Matthews?"

"It will take time, but yes, we may be able to isolate her biological signature."

"Those scans are unauthorized and will most likely be detected by the orbiting Aschaski ships. It violates the cease-fire and fighting will immediately resume," Una reminded.

"What are the penalties if she is discovered?" Georgiou asked.

"Safe passage for Federation personnel ended when the cease-fire started. If apprehended by the Aschaski, she will be summarily charged with spying and executed," the security chief answered.

"There have been reports of …" Spock started, endeavoring to be thorough, as always.

No Spock don't go there, not after Talos, Boyce pleaded silently.

"… sexual violations committed by the Aschaski soldiers."

Pike fisted his hands and took several deep breaths. No one spoke. After a lengthy exhale, he uncurled his fingers and placed his hands flat on the table.

Georgiou raised her eyes, looking directly at her long-time colleague, patiently waiting for him to step up to the plate. I know you will make the correct decision, it's not within your nature to do otherwise. Our oaths are sacred to us. Her demeanor was sorrowful. And I know from firsthand experience you will never permit yourself an intimate relationship with a member of your crew until you hear yourself say these words out loud.

Pike ordered firmly, "Under no circumstances will we breach the cease-fire agreement."