Cartwright paced his office for several minutes after Kirk arrived for their appointed meeting. Hands behind his back, he huffed a few wordless grunts at Kirk in greeting and dismissed everyone else in his area, refusing to speak more until he appeared to have calmed down. When he did, he indicated that the admiral sit opposite of him, the desk between them. Cartwright refused to begin until Kirk was comfortable. It was a courtesy and a good indicator nonetheless.

Kirk studied Cartwright for a moment before the conversation began. Suspicions roused inside of him, but he kept that in the back of his mind. If whatever Spock indicated was right, then Cartwright was involved in the Thyrian conspiracy and was hiding something. There was no evidence yet, but the Vulcan would never mention something indirectly without reason. He found no evidence of it in Lori's files though and that was a little disconcerting. He would have to do the digging himself.

Spock wouldn't leave me astray. What other information does he have?

Cartwright pacified himself. "What is wrong with you, Jim?" he demanded. "You agreed to be a part of this council, but you also seem to think you have more pressing matters than diplomacy. You run off and decide that law does not make a difference. Already, you're showing that some Starfleet officer is in charge of a man suspected of murdering the Thyrians. Why are you following along?"

Jason Lattimer, accused of killing his own people? Kirk was incredulous. The accusations were hefty indeed.

Cartwright did not notice Kirk's expressions and continued. "Right now, the conference has been suspended due to your actions and the Thyrians are threatening war. That too has been abated, but without placation."

"They can threat all they want," Kirk contested hotly. "The allegations are false. Captain Elma is not hiding their prisoner."

"What the hell were you two doing in San Diego then?" Cartwright hold his hands so tightly together that the brown skin almost turned white. He was obviously restraining himself from causing a scene.

"Captain Elma had a lead concerning the safety of the conference." Kirk wasn't lying. He wasn't going to reveal the specifics yet since Cartwright did not need to know. "We've traveled incognito in order to determine the validity of the claim. We hardly have any solid proof and have not revealed anything to prevent panic. It is still under investigation."

"Why wasn't I informed? Captain Elma should have reported this to me. She indicated there was no threat."

"As head of all Starfleet security, Captain Elma reserves the right to keep anything confidential if there is no hard evidence. She was practicing discretion and would have reported to you at the best opportunity had there been something. Besides, Lance, she was working on an anonymous tip and discovered a thread that has so far led to a possible dead end. Why does she need to tell you that?"

"You're correct, Jim, but I know there's something else. You're both using regulations to keep something important under a rug."

"There's nothing else. If there is, you'll be the first to know."

"I doubt it. But why you? Why can't Captain Elma confine in another?"

"Who else can she trust, Lance? Let's be honest. Captain Elma had been isolated at Synprilox until the year before. Who has she been in contact with?"

"Some of your other former crewmembers. There are a few notables I can name."

"And all of them are not on Earth except for a handful and they are not in San Francisco. Most of them are above our heads, in training or elsewhere in space."

Cartwright glared at Kirk. "If I find that you and Captain Elma are holding out on information, Jim, you will be punished by the book. I will not hold back. In the end, you're going to wish that you were never admitted into Starfleet. You will be breaking rocks on a colony. Dismissed!"

Kirk didn't bother to salute Cartwright. Feeling pretty heated and defensive himself and doing his best to control his temper, he returned to his office. Throughout the walk back though, he noticed how everyone was whispering when he passed them. Rumors had a way of getting around the building, he knew, but never as bad as this. The names thrown around were connected to him.

None of them mentioned Alyssa directly as far as he heard, only that the Thyrians were up to something (whatever it was, good or bad) and that it involved Kirk himself. This was only the beginning. Somehow, that link to Synprilox was going to be known and it was going to splatter some mud on their guests. Once Kirk had the upper hand, the Thyrians will be begging for a new agreement or leaving.

And that would be pure entertainment for a while.

His private area was quiet and without anybody begging for favors (a relief to Kirk in many ways). Riley locked up the office as soon as the admiral entered and sat down. By then, the aide bustled quietly, albeit with passive aggressive hostility. That was unusual, even by his standards. Riley was open and cheery and never had to hide anything. When he finally stood before Kirk's desk bravely, the admiral knew that something was wrong. Even the seriousness on Riley's face did nothing to dispel the obvious hurt.

"Admiral, I have served you to the best of my abilities, but I need to know if there is something else I need to do for you." Riley kept the pain out of his voice, but the tone indicated that he felt betrayed. "There has been several times in which questionable actions have been performed on your part. I want some clarification since some officers have been talking and asking questions."

Kirk was afraid of this. He smiled at Riley warmly. "What do you need clarification on, Riley?"

"The Thyrian counsel, Sir," the aide said. Those words explained everything. He ticked the problems off. "The library has discovered that some material on Thyria is missing and I know I checked it in. Your disappearances to San Diego have been noted, although I have no idea why you would leave without telling me. There was the attempt on the life of the Thyrian head. Captain Elma's name has been tossed around several times. It's said that she is involved in some plot and that you have knowledge of it."

"The good captain and I were investigating a claim." Kirk decided to stick with the same story. "We did not know where it would lead. So far, nothing came of it."

"I think you're hiding more from me…Sir," he insisted rudely. "You cannot mean to leave people in the dark."

Kirk had to admit that Riley had a point. Regardless, he wasn't going to ring him in yet. It was best to keep this Chief of Staff ignorant of all matters this time around. At the moment, he was safer ignorant. Until then, he could be used against Kirk and he could not afford that. Besides, when all was said and done and the reports completed, Riley will have his answers.

"Discretion is sometimes the key," Kirk quickly said. "It does not mean that my trust in you is lacking. It means that some people need to be protected when there is danger. I cannot deny that I rely on you heavily, Riley. But this time, I cannot allow you to be taken into confidence until I have all of the facts before me. For the time being, you'll have to depend on the usual channels."

Riley was not satisfied with the answer. His lips were so thin and white that they almost disappeared into his face. However, he did not argue the point. He did the best he could not to throw what seemed like a temper tantrum in front of the admiral. Instead, he fluttered around the office like a butterfly, touching each task here and there with the same attitude as before. Eventually, he soothed himself and apologized to Kirk.

When a communicator rang in the outer room, Riley went to answer it, leaving Kirk alone with his thoughts. The admiral did not bother eavesdropping, believing it to another officer who required his attention. He heard the faraway voice of his aide though, tuning it out more to concentrate on what pieces he had so far. Without Riley so prominent in the picture, he afforded himself the time to connect them together.

Riley returned a few minutes later, white-faced and shaking. "Admiral, channel two call for you. Privacy has been requested."

This caught Kirk's interest. "On this screen, Riley. I'll keep in here, between us."

The aide nodded affirmation and left, transferring the call over. It flickered and steadied itself on a sole figure. Immediately, Kirk saw Alyssa's pale face. She wasn't in the building training the cadets or at home relaxing, he knew. She was within the city limits, being held in what appeared to be Starfleet's brig in the security sector some blocks away.

Behind her weren't the usual guards either, although there was a mesh of them in the background being held at the rear. Kirk recognized the warden too, frozen in a state of protest along with his subordinates. The admiral could not blame them, especially with the roughhousing caused by their guests, the Thyrians. These aliens were accosting Alyssa like she was a prisoner and treating all parties and regulations without courtesy. The only one they offered was for the security officer to make her one plea to someone in the outside world.

"Captain, what is the meaning of this?" Kirk did not forget who he was, feigning outrage. He wasn't going to show anyone his cold fear. "Where are you?"

"Admiral, I would hope you would explain the situation better to these men than I can," Alyssa replied calmly. "This would be my only call. Currently, I am being accused of conspiracy, treason and obstruction of justice and am being held in Starfleet's local stockade at Alcatraz. I am pleading my innocence to you as a survivor of the tragedy that occurred to Synprilox over a year ago."

~00~

Even though the town interested them, Kirk and Alyssa remained in the wooded area for a few more minutes, their arms tangled against each other. Their eyes raked each other and then the beauty of the calmed settlement as the security officer explained some specifics. In the end, Alyssa found it hard to go on. She willed herself to keep her vision on the people she sought to protect. However, she found it easy to draw herself closer and touch Kirk.

Stopping her lecture, she gently grabbed Kirk and melted right into another embrace. Facing the admiral, she laid her head against his chest, listening to the beating of his racing heart. Even grieved for a dead man, there was no doubt in her mind that she loved him. Yes, there had been another chance for happiness, but Alyssa was finding it fleeting. She would make the best of it though and use that time wisely. It wasn't only the limited days Kirk had, but also his own emotions.

There was no doubt that Kirk came with a reputation. Even before his tenure as captain, he had been known as a ladies' man. He was faithful to each relationship he had though, carefully cultivating the image of the perfect gentlemen before passionate turmoil ruined each love affair. Alyssa had to wonder how each ceased to exist, flickered out like a moth to a flame, and how she'll fare compared to those others. She knew that she came with so much baggage that would tear anybody apart. She only hoped that it would not ruin one of the best things that happened to her since her marriage to Kurt Hemmingway.

That would be fine for now, although Alyssa clung onto Kirk like a drowning person would to something afloat. She will take advantage of her feelings and time all she wanted, but the short tenure would make it impossible to cope afterward. Once the moment came, she resolved that she will deal with it, even though her heart will break. She will not cling to Kirk forever.

Kirk combed his fingers through her black and white hair. "Are you going to grow this out?"

Alyssa almost did not hear him. "Oh. I don't know. Maybe, maybe not."

"I seem to recall it was long at some point."

"And tied up to get out of the way. It was annoying to keep my hair so long. It was convenient for lovers, not for work."

Kirk recognized that she referred to her dead husband. Kurt did love Alyssa's hair girlish too. "You don't need to mourn forever, Alyssa. Be free, be yourself. Behind that security officer and mother, there's a layer that is purely you. Where is it?"

"Hiding behind the scared child, the confused teenager, the silent adult and the cautious Starfleet officer and mother."

Kirk laughed. "We'll see what's behind that. Now, you want to give me the rest of that tour?"

Alyssa obliged. Pretending once more that she was the perfect guide, she released herself from Kirk and positioned herself as a professional officer. Her face contoured into a mask before leading them into the clearing and explaining each station. Nobody took notice of them for a few minutes until someone approached them. He appeared to be the leader. He was chatting angrily in the same language that Kirk heard earlier in the day.

Disturbed, Alyssa responded carefully, introducing the admiral and perhaps telling the stranger their purpose here. It was a few minutes before the man calmed down. When he did, he allowed them to pass. Sighing in relief, she straightened out her posture and brought them to a more private corner, out of the way of the colonists' work. From their standing position, she pointed out buildings and houses, the order of operations and who was in charge of what.

Kepler III was a rural planet, a paradise that seemed too perfect to Kirk until Alyssa elaborated on its harshness. Underneath that façade was a tough world that did not show any mercy upon settlement. The refugees that initially arrived had to labor hard to survive, using their combined skills and resources in order to replicate Synprilox and learn from its mistakes. Once they achieved that within a year, the rest was easy, although there were always the usual difficulties of any newly-established town. Most of it involved petty disputes and the occasional domestic fight.

Alyssa moved on. Occasionally, she was stopped by another person and asked questions. She answered them politely and sometimes urged them to move on. Kirk saw the reason. He was obviously a Starfleet officer they did not care for either. He was still blamed here as an instigator to their misery. Granted, he could take that role since he recommended Synprilox for Federation membership and protection. Whatever happened afterward was none of his business…until now.

When the two rested on a rock nearby the edge of the farming fields, Kirk spoke frankly. He thought back to their first greeter. "What did you tell him?"

"Tell who?" Alyssa waved down a peddler for food and exchanged some sort of currency for their meal. She handed some bread to Kirk before expressing her confusion plainly. "What do you mean?"

"That first man there. He stopped us."

"Oh, Talmont? He's always suspicious and gets everyone else excited for no reason. Don't mind him, Admiral. He's been through enough already."

Kirk hated it when Alyssa named him by rank. However, with so many people milling about them now, he knew that she had to hide her feelings. He almost wanted to explode at her though. It was becoming too easy to be embroiled in Alyssa's world, to take her into his arms and to give her comfort because she held the world on her shoulders. There was so much they could say to each other, to make their lives more completed, and yet…yet…he was having a hard time keeping that inside of him. He called upon all of his power as a Starfleet officer to keep composed.

He continued the conversation to distract himself. "Has everyone been through so much too?"

"Well, everyone has their own story," Alyssa explained carefully. She swallowed the last of her food. "Each person here has lost something precious to them. Sometimes, it's their home. Other times, it's a friend or a family member. Children sometimes have lost their innocence and parents a sense of purpose. There's more on Kepler III that has been shattered than just the loss of life."

"It's akin to those seeking religious and political freedom. They need to give up on the familiar in order to start anew."

"In a sense, I supposed, Admiral, but history also has a way of repeating itself in a million different scenarios and in more circumstances. Here, yes, it is different. Every new arrival means that there is a new beginning and a way for them to heal. The laws remain the same or sometimes are changed to reflect their common goals. I has to be for the good of the people, not the individual. They all depend on each other though and that's what is important to them."

"You said it was community work. Has that helped?"

"In many ways, I'd say. A lot of people have lost their sorrow in helping others. There are some stories that have told us of reunification, adaption and assimilation. All of them are good ways to forget the old troubles."

"Are there any counselors?"

"Presently, no." Alyssa frowned. "It is something we should consider. The need is always there."

The chatter went on like this for a few minutes before it petered out. By then, Kirk had finished his meal and deemed their landing finished. Alyssa stood to stretch her limbs, using her communicator to request a beam up simultaneously. Kirk did the same as he stood up, taking once last glance before being transported back to the ship and Synprilox. The scene quickly faded away just as the security officer announced that Scotty was at the helm and pinpointing their coordinates.

Upon their return to the transporter room, it became apparent to them both that something was amiss and that they had been the targets of gossip. The engineer, possibly their main antagonist, was beaming from ear to ear and quite red in the face. Kirk assumed that he had been drinking the whole time while mouthing away happily. Indeed, he glanced from the admiral to the security officer, winking and hiding back a smirk. Alyssa took this as a hint to leave, excusing herself in an embarrassed manner.

Kirk faced Scotty, stoic. He wasn't going to let on that there was something between him and Alyssa, although it might be obvious after their time alone in his quarters and Kepler III. Scotty knew that Kirk was often flirting with the women. Alyssa did not seem to be an exception, although something was different…and that was what made this so special.

"She's a pretty lass, Sir, if ya don't mind me sayin'," Scotty said. "She was then and she is now. Ya a lucky man."

"Commander Elma is only the host, Scotty," Kirk confirmed without betraying his inner turmoil. "Synprilox is another planet with a tour."

"Aye, but with a woman, ya canna go wrong."

Kirk smiled. "It might be temporary. It might not. I never know."

"We can forget it, Sir, with a wee sip. Do ya care for one?"

Kirk had to think about it for a minute. The hot and cold attitude needed to be numbed and he longed for familiar company too. "To forget some woes, Scotty, I think a drink is in order."

Scotty put his hands on the admiral's shoulders in a friendly gesture. "Aye, just say the word, Admiral."

"Mr. Scott, the word is given," Kirk replied confidentially. "The word is given."