Heading into the embassy late at night was questionable at best. While the security there was not as strict as the others', all of the Vulcan guards raised their eyebrows at the unusual hour Kirk arrived. He imagined them stating that it was illogical to stop by after midnight, but did not receive even that answer. They were silent, which prompted the admiral to explain briefly why he decided to stop in. Adding that it was an emergency with the ambassador's son merited some consideration. He was allowed in and escorted to Spock's quarters.
Kirk was lucky that his friend was only finishing his meditation. He never knew Spock stayed up so late. Generally speaking, when he was first officer, he kept hours that corresponded with their duties and that normally did not heed any evening hours unless there was a problem or there was research that was required of him as a science officer. Even so, the Vulcan never was fatigued or showed that he was worn down by his numerous activities.
At the moment, he was sitting in a chair, staring at Kirk with the same expression as the guards outside. There was no introduction necessary. Kirk smiled and got to the point of the matter immediately, asking if Spock cracked the codes to bypass the computer.
"Quite so, Admiral," Spock said. "It was an unusual combination and one I am fascinated with. Admiral Ciana managed to secure her information very effectively this way. If I was not able to compute the proper code, the device itself would have detonated."
Kirk nodded, putting his hands behind his back anxiously. "It must have been difficult."
"Even so, Admiral, the information inside of what you humans would call 'a sticky wicket'."
"Does this have anything to do with the Thyrians?"
"I am afraid so. There is evidence in here that suggests that the Thyrians will sabotage the conference."
"What is the so-called evidence that Admiral Ciana inputted?"
"Communications with the Synprilox chancellor. Testimonies from survivors of the Synprilox wars and the subsequent genocide before the planet was destroyed. Analysis of Thyria and its people as told by an escaped prisoner. Lists of people that are suffering from the effects of their radiation poisoning and those who have met death because of it. All seems to point to silence and destruction."
"Basically, Spock, you are telling me that we have firsthand proof that Thyria was responsible for the explosion of Synprilox and the death of countless lives."
"Yes, Admiral. There is also a chance that they are aiming for galactic war."
Kirk was startled. "This…radiation…was it going through the planet's water and the protective bubble?"
"Quite right," Spock revealed. "According to Admiral Ciana's notes, the Thyrians had developed a type of radiation beam that was able to continue through any planetary material until it reaches its intended target, inputted by a machine controlling it. It has been known to poison waters, food supplies and especially any type of race. There is a known cure, but the Thyrians have kept it secreted away."
Alyssa.
"Has the radiation in these people been studied?" the admiral inquired. He recalled that the security officer was afflicted and that no real medical team had been assigned except McCoy (years before though) and even he was not privy to much.
"Most certainly, Admiral, but it is very limited. On Kepler III, where the Synprilox refugees had been relocated, some medical personnel began their examinations. While the survival rate has been low, their methods in keeping all affected alive have been successful. However, there is no long-term solution and all eventually die."
"Of course. That would be logical."
"Admiral, might I be so bold as to ask why you are so interested in Admiral Ciana's notes? It is not only the Thyrians' negotiations."
"Have you been following the conference, Spock, and who is involved?"
"Yes, I have. What has been discovered will complicate the situation greatly. The proper authorities, as we call them, might have other interests at heart."
"Would you mean Admiral Cartwright?"
"I name no one specifically, Admiral. I only warn you that Starfleet might not be keen to hear of a dead officer's hidden observations that were not reported to them. They might believe them falsified records."
"True. I will be intruding upon logic here, but I must ask, Spock. What are your feelings on this matter? What do you conclude about this information?"
The Vulcan paused before speaking. "Since I do not allow myself human emotion, they would not matter in this course. What does is how this change will be received. Logically, I conclude that we do not speak of this matter until the proper time. We must also keep the original findings in a safe location."
"Did you happen to make a copy of the material?"
"Of course. It would not be logical otherwise."
Kirk smiled. "Would this copy also be in that safe location, as you suggested?"
"My father left some hours ago." Spock raised an eyebrow. He also pulled out another mobile apparatus and handed it to Kirk. "He will not be questioned."
"Indeed. Thank you, Spock." The admiral took the proffered item from his friend. Then, he considered it best to leave.
The Vulcan had the same thoughts. He called for the guards to escort Kirk outside and as far as the outer entranceway of his apartment. The admiral was appreciative of the efforts and enjoyed the silence of the walk home. He bid the two Vulcan companions a good night before unlocking his doors and seeking the privacy of his bedroom to view what Lori left behind. He was anxious to say the least. The butterflies in his stomach soared to new heights, wondering what secrets the dead stored.
Sitting on his bed, the admiral turned on the decoy and waited until its main screen flashed. Several folders graced it, labeled meticulously, most likely by Lori (who was better with her work than the house cleaning, he recalled). He tapped on the one named "Introduction" and saw that it revealed a video narrated by Lori herself. Although she never showed herself and the segment was mostly pictures and video, her calming and hypnotic voice echoed in Kirk's bedroom as she discussed everything known about the history of Synprilox and then Thyria. That itself was pretty boring since he remembered it from other sources.
The introduction ended with Lori stating to move on to the next topic, "Trade". Kirk exited from the first part, rubbing his eyes. He thought this too would be tedious enough to put him to sleep. When he started it though, it was no narration from Lori that he had to hear. This time, it was reading material. This was a treaty between Thyria and Synprilox for the material the latter used for creating their most destructive weapons.
Kirk recalled that Synprilox used to mine precious material in order to make these items and used to trade with a planet. This agreement with Thyria was precise, specific and detailed. From what the paperwork stated, they were giving Thyria this rock or the weapons for their own usage. By breaking this agreement when they signed with the Federation, Synprilox used the mines and factories for better circumstances dictated to them by the terms and damned Thyria. It named war if the terms were not met.
Spock had been right. Through this documentation alone, Thyria ensured that Synprilox would suffer if they had forsaken them and took protection with the Federation. Lori's careful research into the dynamic relationships proved it beyond a doubt. Thyria was responsible for the unfortunate fate of Synprilox and the death of millions of people.
There was more to read. The remaining night hours passed quickly. Before Kirk knew it, was dawn and he was through with the material. Sunshine reflected from the bay into his window. His alarm clock chirped. With it, a call from Riley came immediately afterward. The faithful aide waited patiently until Kirk answered with a grunt. Cheerful as ever, Riley recounted the events from the previous day that was missed from the conference and asked if anything needed to be completed before his office entry in a few hours.
"Coffee," Kirk answered. "Make it black." He felt like he had a hangover instead of spending the night in anxious anticipation and then studying. "Did I have any calls to the office?"
"Admiral Cartwright," Riley replied with a deep frown. "He's been wondering where you are."
"Minding my own business," Kirk mumbled to himself. Shaking his head, he face his aide with a smile. "I'll be in if my presence is necessary."
"It might be, Sir, but not at the table just yet. Admiral Cartwright needs to talk to you about the status of Captain Elma. She's been out of sight since the incident a couple of days ago, training cadets. The admiral is interested in your opinion since you've worked with her."
"It wasn't for too long, Riley, and I hardly remember it anyway. A good officer will remain dedicated when treated right."
Riley blinked slowly. "Yes, Sir." He cleared his throat. "Regardless, Admiral, your absence is making waves. The Thyrians did not appreciate your disappearance and have told Admiral Cartwright that you've been obstructing their justice. That is also a topic of discussion today."
"What are you talking about?" Kirk's heart was practically bursting out of his chest.
"The Thyrians have stated that you traveled to San Diego with Captain Elma several times," Riley stated, pulling at his white collar nervously. "They are accusing you and the captain of kidnapping their prisoner and hiding him."
~00~
It was strange to continue to stand in the drizzle and continue to hold hands. However, it no longer felt so awkward. They were no longer teenagers on their first date, groping for the mysterious curves of the other. Now, it was natural to stick close to a mysterious woman who cast her spell on the admiral and brought him to his knees.
Kirk started counting ways that Alyssa drove him to madness. Her acceptance and quiet nature were one. Another had been the ways she moved and her gentle yet stern methods as a mother and security officer. He had no thought of her as the young girl from five years ago, slightly disenchanted with the lies she sought to cover up through her fear and the brave way she sought to fix it. She had been a young officer wishing to prove herself. Today, she was mature, with a tinge of sadness and some grief and longing.
It was easy for him to admit his faults in falling in love and why he found her so attractive. He still had to wonder how Alyssa was feeling and what made her tick, although the hesitation was due to her dead husband (that he was sure about). Any person who had been given a hard hand always had a difficult time coping with the consequences. However, even the link to the past crept up harshly and placed blame at its origins too.
As Alyssa called for a ship to take them to Kepler III (and using one hand to do the deed), Kirk thought about the last time he dealt with her. Even back when she was on the Enterprise, she was quiet and always following orders without question, but she was a leader when the role was thrust upon her. Before Chekov took the helm with Sulu, she was in charge of him. Granted, she answered to a higher authority, but she had the guts to take direction and hold steady.
This made her more suspicious and bolder, which prompted him to check her records (not to mention, McCoy was a pest about it when he argued with Alyssa about it). While finding nothing out of the ordinary, Kirk thought it unusual about the disturbances and had to rely on his own judgements and observations. In turn, Alyssa had to be given a chance to prove herself. She was chosen to come to Synprilox as their security officer. This had released more information than he thought possible and a chain of corruption that made it to the Federation's ears.
Only twenty-three years old and quite the scandalous celebrity after those events, Starfleet had to determine how much knowledge Alyssa knew and the events leading to their return from the twenty-first century before coming to a decision. Admiral Nogura knew that Alyssa held too much knowledge of the future and could change the course of history. It was an easy decision, as Kirk saw it. Going back to 2012 with her son and hardly any support might mean her death during the Third World War. Moving forward in 2265 might mean a life that she could not imagine and chances she would not have in 2012.
Kirk broke from his reverie when Alyssa sighed. "There isn't a ship that will take us except yours," she said. "Apparently, there's some activity above. The last freighter that took the refugees isn't returning for another few hours."
"What kind of activity?" The admiral was alarmed.
"Nothing unusual," she reassured him. Upon seeing moving shadows around the trees, she broke free from his grip. "There's too much traffic and Starfleet ships are trying to navigate around it and causing a disturbance. Mr. Scott has already said he would beam us up and take us to Kepler III. I already sent him our coordinates."
He did not like that her hand was no longer in his, but he understood the need once people came upon them, all of them refugees. A million voices chimed in like a song, asking if they were ok and when they can be sent to Kepler III. Alyssa assured them that all was well and that there were some delays in the transporting of people to the ship because of the rain. They accepted this explanation and departed, knowing that this one woman held their future in her hands.
Kirk saw something different from them too and not just the faith they held in the security officer, who held this hope steady and kept their flame alive. Their faces told another story, of suffering and deprivation and the need to start anew. Synprilox and her troubles were not the only monsters that went bump in the night. This storm made them jitterier than they should have been and all because of the tribulations they endured. Kirk did not know the whole tale. He hoped he would be able to include it to a report to Lori though.
Soon, the familiar feeling of being pulled from one location to the next enveloped the pair. The next thing Kirk knew, he was in the transporter room of the Juniper, seeing Scotty's beaming face. Even slightly drunk, he chatted to the admiral about how the ship was doing, his activities and how much he missed his old girl. Scotty was adamant that the Juniper could not match up to the Enterprise and made his anguish plain by vocally complaining about the days he missed refitting the ship.
Kirk took it in stride and listened as patiently as he could, eying Alyssa here and there, a plea for some input or interjection. She stood there politely and greeted the engineer warmly in-between this madness and did not say another word, choosing instead to allow the ranting to finish. She too smiled and took the time to heed to Scotty's concerns and wistful ramblings, nodding every so often. When Scotty was done and took a breath to allow them to pass, the two strolled out and down the hallway.
The admiral honestly wanted a moment alone with Alyssa. Knowing that they would be at Kepler III in half an hour (twenty minutes if the engines cooperated and the traffic moved out of their way), he directed Alyssa to his quarters. Once he unlocked it, he ordered the computer that he was not to be disturbed until they reached their destination. This ensured they would have the time to talk this issue through.
Alyssa certainly appreciated it. She seated herself gratefully when invited to a chair and paused until the admiral began, sitting opposite of her. She had so many things to say, Kirk noted, and all of it pooling into a jumble of emotions that was going to come out all at once. She was slowly turning into a pool of tears and he had to stop it.
"What happened down there," Kirk began, "seems to be something that has been brewing between us."
"I would assume so," Alyssa replied. She reined in her sentiments. "Admiral – Jim – I don't know – I mean, I'm sorry. It won't happen again."
Kirk reached for her hand again. Alyssa flinched and wanted to pull away, but the admiral's gentle persistence won out. "I do love you, Alyssa," he blurted out. "I don't know when or how. I only do."
The words washed over Alyssa, a cross between relief and dread. For all these years, she had honored the memory of her dead husband and swore to keep it that way. Now, the chance to risk the most dangerous feeling of all stood in front of her…and she was scared to take it in her hands. The recall of Kurt bleeding to death in the potato fields of Maine only strengthened her resolve. She was a bringer of death. She did not need another man to mourn.
Kirk continued like he didn't notice Alyssa's obvious hurt. "I can understand how you feel though. You've been widowed for too long. I'm sure Kurt would have wanted you to love again. He wouldn't have wanted you to keep mourning."
Alyssa almost yanked her hand away and walked out right then and there. Mentioning her dead husband like that was spiteful. Nobody had the right to throw Kurt Hemmingway in her face. She had to calm herself though. Of course, she had to admit that Kirk was right. Kurt wanted her to be happy.
Closing her eyes to Kirk to hide her sudden tears, Alyssa recalled the scene again. She would never forget it. The love of her childhood had died protecting her. Laying in her arms, Kurt traced her face with his finger, leaving a red trail dilated by her tears. His dying wish as he bled out in her arms was for her to take care. He did not feel his death was in vain, but the regret had been that he would never see his son a man and to grow old with his wife.
The conflict inside of her continued to boil. Alyssa allowed it to simmer before opening her eyes to face Kirk. By then, she could not hold it any longer and lost all control. She sobbed, melting right into his arms. Finding herself planted on his shoulder, she cried for a few minutes. Kirk was oddly comforting, quiet until she was finished. They separated mutually, fingers lingering gently before they resumed their previous positions.
"I didn't want to," Alyssa admitted softly. It was liberating to confess such a horrible thing. The words continued to flow. "I couldn't allow myself to. I thought that, if I loved someone again, they would die. I am so protective of Ryder and Magda. They are all I have left."
"I am not planning on dying anytime soon," Kirk reassured her. He had to respect Alyssa and allow her some space. "Give this some time. I won't push you."
"There's something else. You're rumored to be with Admiral Ciana." The security officer's abrupt, blunt remark caught the admiral off-guard. Alyssa wasn't stupid. "I cannot be with someone else's other half. I can't be an accomplice to you cheating on her."
"We are hardly a couple." Kirk chucked. It was a common error and quite laughable. "We live and work together, but are not in any personal relationship."
Alyssa was not convinced. "Why live together?"
"Her insistence." He shrugged his shoulders. "She wanted to understand diplomacy. Separate bedrooms. Scout's honor."
For the first time in years, Kirk heard Alyssa laugh. Through her distress, she managed to at least find something funny. He joined her. After a few minutes, when the ship started moving, they stopped and fell into an easy conversation. First, it was about the simplest things, like family and friends and some funny stories. Then, it morphed into something more.
Kirk wanted to start over from the beginning, before Alyssa's assignment as his security officer five years ago, and really get to know her without forcing the truth out of her. In order for her to feel that comfortable though, he had to take the first plunge. This prompted him to talk about his life and family, from growing up in Iowa to bouncing through colonies with his father and his first arrival on the Enterprise, when he was sixteen and Robert April was her captain. When it was her turn, she skimmed over a childhood wrought with religious fanatics, emotional and physical abuse and eventual rescue when she was eighteen.
They were so enthralled with their conversation that they almost missed Scotty's reluctant calls to depart. He was soft at first, but then became louder when nobody bothered to reply to his urgent messages. Kirk answered after the engineer buzzed him several times and told him they'll be on the transporter in a few minutes. He quickly flipped the switch off and looked at Alyssa sadly. They both were disappointed to hear that they reached Kepler III.
Kirk motioned Alyssa to follow him back to the transporter room. Ensuring that nothing remained of their private talk, they exited the admiral's quarters. Indicating that there was nothing between them save for the professional, walked to their destination, with Kirk at the lead and Alyssa three paces behind. Meeting the engineer shortly afterward in the transporter room, they took their places on the pad. They allowed Scotty the opportunity to fine-tune the system before they beamed down.
Kirk had been holding his breath, unsure of what he was going to see. He released it when he noticed his new surroundings, deep in the woods as he was. Kepler III was beautiful. While hardly any cities had been built, a large crude civilization different from Synprilox had been formed. It mostly consisted of community work. Children ran underfoot as both men and women assisted each other in their daily chores. Sentries were posted here and there, to protect and serve. Laborers cultivated and farmed large fields some acres away.
Nobody noticed their arrival or called out. It was a quiet observation. Standing as he did with Alyssa on the edge of their town, obscured by the greenery, Kirk watched with awe as the day unfolded, the opposite of its sister planet a lightyear away. It was peaceful and without incident, a harmony of some sort. Here too was a group of people who managed to give the best of their talents to create this utopia.
"What do you think?" Alyssa was excited. She was the glee on Kirk's face and thought he would reply in a positive manner.
"Wonderful," Kirk answered. "Unbelievable."
He reached over to hold her. This time, Alyssa consented and returned the embrace. Together, they remained content in this arrangement and watched the town happenings. Eventually, Kirk mentioned that he wished to meet some people. Alyssa agreed, disengaging and taking the role of guide.
All the while, the security officer thought too. For the first time since her husband died, she felt a new kind of joy inside of her. She could not define it. She hadn't been able to since Kirk's arrival the month before. However, she wished it lasted a long time. Other than Magda and Ryder, she truly had nobody else. Her circle was completed.