Jamie skipped along the corridor holding her daddy's hand. This was how she'd expected living on the Enterprise to be. Happily, Daddy knew how to brush hair and fix hair bows, so Jamie knew she looked her very best. Going on the bridge was special and she wanted to look right - especially when she'd see Mr. Spock. Jamie couldn't tell anyone, but she really liked Mr. Spock. She thought he was . . . well, fascinating. From somewhere in her mind, she remembered words she thought were Vulcan and said them out loud.
Daddy looked down at her as he hit the button for the turbo lift. "What did you say?"
"I think it's Vulcan for hello?"
"Yes, it is. Did you have Vulcan friends in school?"
"No, Daddy." Grownups sure had no idea how school really was. Jamie rolled her eyes but made sure she didn't look at Daddy while she did it. "The Vulcan kids don't make friends with Earthers. I just remember hearing the words from . . . somewhere."
"Mr. Spock probably taught you," Daddy said as the lift doors opened on the bridge. "Before you went to Earth, you were fascinated by him."
I was? I still am . . .
As soon as Daddy's feet hit the bridge floor, he turned into Captain Kirk. His back got straighter, his voice got stronger and he began to call out orders and commands. He wanted to know everything about what was happening on his ship. Jamie stood by the turbo lift door, blinking back silly tears and wishing she didn't feel so scared and lonely.
Mr. Spock turned from his Science Station and gave her a nod. Jamie thought it might be a greeting, so she spoke the words she remembered as hello. When Mr. Spock responded in Vulcan, Jamie felt other words coming out of her mouth to answer. There wasn't a way to say them in English, but Jamie thought they meant, "Have a pleasant morning."
Suddenly, Jamie didn't feel so lonely.
"Jamie," Daddy turned around and smiled, motioning her to him. "Come help me run the ship."
Jamie knew she wouldn't really get to run anything, but it was nice that Daddy hadn't forgotten her after all. Sitting on his lap in the command chair, she stared out the view screen at that old Mavaro planet. Mean old King and his silly brig. Jamie stuck her tongue out and nobody stopped her.
For a little while, Daddy read reports and signed them. He had his yeoman bring real coffee and even some hot chocolate for Jamie to sip. When Jamie got tired of sitting, she wandered around the bridge and asked questions. Lt. Uhura let her listen in on some communications between ships, Mr. Checkov let her look at the navigational charts and tried to explain what they were for in the old days. She even got to use the com to call Mr. Scott and ask what Baxter was doing.
"Ach, Lassie, he'd be in his learnin' cycle, wishin' you a speedy recovery to join him in mischief."
Jamie felt a little smug that she didn't have to be listening to the teacher today.
"Captain," Lt. Uhura called out a little later, "it's Dr. McCoy in Sickbay. He says to let you know that Nanny Banks has woken up."
"Status?"
"It's good news, Sir," Lt. Uhura smiled. "Dr. McCoy says the dosage of memory blocker must have been small because she has almost total recall except for the past two days. He says she even seems quite pleased to have forgotten the trip to Disney Mavaron."
Daddy chuckled and some of the tired lines left his face.
"She's asking to see Jamie, Sir."
"Tell him we'll be down soon."
"Is Nanny Banks getting better?" Jamie asked, not too sure she liked this idea. If Nanny had to stay in Sickbay, maybe she would get to spend more time with Daddy.
"Yes, she . . ." Daddy started to say before Lt. Uhura interrupted him with an urgent message.
"Captain, it's Ambassador McCale. He's quite insistent that he speak to you now."
"Just a moment, Uhura." Daddy didn't look so happy now. When he smiled at her, Jamie knew it wasn't an all the way through your heart smile. Just a pretend on so she wouldn't worry. "Why don't you go stand by Lt. Uhura for a few minutes, honey."
"Okay."
Jamie walked up and Lt. Uhura gave her hand a squeeze. Then she opened hailing frequencies to the meanest man Jamie had ever seen. His whole face filled the view screen shouting and hollering. It was the reddest, angriest face. Coming from his mouth were words, lots and lots of angry words. He even shook his fist at Daddy over his com screen and finally the words made sense.
"Captain Kirk! I have just left a meeting with King Hescate and I am appalled . . . no, more than appalled at your high-handed misuse of Federation policy. How dare you offer to give the Mavaronians free shipping for six months! Do you know how much that will cost the Federation?"
"Yes, I believe we have calculated that . . ." Daddy tried to say but the hollering man interrupted.
"What were you thinking, Kirk? What audacity, what . . ."
"There were extenuating circumstances." Daddy snapped. The veins in his neck were tight and his eyes were narrowed. It looked like Daddy was getting awful mad himself. Jamie watched him clench his hands around the armrests of the command chair. He'd like to punch that old Ambassador, she could tell.
"I don't care what kind of circumstances there were! This was not your area of expertise and you should have kept your nose out of it." The Ambassador shook his fist again, spittle spraying from his mouth, "You've overstepped your bounds this time, Kirk. I'm going to report this and make sure that you are relieved of your command. You can consider this your farewell voyage on the Enterprise. You will never get another starship again if I have anything to say about it. McCale out!"
There was silence on the bridge after Lt. Uhura cut off the view screen. Someone coughed and there were some quiet rustlings. Then as if nothing had happened, Daddy spoke out. "Mr. Pendleton, Mr. Spock, I want the status on the investigation. Have we narrowed down anyone who needed that many credits?"
As if everyone were going to ignore the angry Ambassador, they quietly went on with their work. Jamie's stomach hurt just from hearing all the angry words - even if she didn't understand everything he meant. For a few minutes, she watched Lt. Uhura working her station, then she tugged on Uhura's red sleeve. "Lt. Uhura, what that man said . . ."
"Yes?"
"Could he really make Daddy lose the Enterprise?"
Lt. Uhura's warm dark eyes smiled at her, but not like she really meant it. "Oh, honey, don't let that worry you. The Captain will work it out. Everything will be fine."
No, it won't. Jamie knew, without Lt. Uhura saying so, that everyone was worried. She could tell by watching Mr. Checkov and Mr. Sulu give each other what-will-happen looks. By the way Lt. Uhura's forehead crinkled and her eyes kept looking at Daddy while she sighed. Mr. Spock didn't look worried - Vulcans never did. But, he laid a gentle hand on Daddy's shoulder and whispered something. Daddy gave him a tired smile. Jamie didn't know what Daddy had done to make the man so angry, but it must have been something really bad.
"Jamie?" Daddy called her.
When she came, he bent down to her level and talked just to her. "I'm sorry, honey, but I'm going to be really busy for the next couple of hours. Yeoman Barrows is going to take you to Sickbay so you can see Nanny Banks. She's been asking for you. Later, we'll have dinner together. I promise you."
"Daddy, can that man really make you lose the Enterprise?"
Jamie didn't like the answer. Daddy didn't say yes or no.
"Don't worry yourself about that. I'll see you at dinner." Daddy gave her a kiss and waved as she got into the turbo lift with Yeoman Barrows and two Security men.
Daddy can't lose the Enterprise. He can't.
Even though he told her not to worry, Jamie did. Something was very wrong.
#####
Jamie planned to talk to Dr. McCoy as soon as she got to Sickbay. Her first question was right there on the tip of her tongue. "Could that old Ambassador make Daddy lose the Enterprise?" That plan didn't quite work out. Yeoman Barrows stopped to chat with Dr. Sampson, then she insisted that Jamie talk to Nanny Banks first. Nanny was glad to see her, which made Jamie feel good. Sometimes she felt like maybe Nanny didn't like her at all.
"I'm so happy to see that you are okay," Nanny said when she first saw Jamie. "I've been so worried about you. Dr. McCoy says I'll be able to report for duty in another day or so."
Denebian slime devils, just what I was afraid of.
After that Nanny Banks went through a big list of stuff Jamie shouldn't forget to do. Jamie kept nodding and not listening while she made her interested face. Baxter had taught her that so teacher wouldn't call on her to answer. Most of the time it worked.
"Now, you remember, Jamie."
"Okay. Could I go talk to Dr. McCoy now?"
"Yes."
Again, Jamie got sidetracked by Yeoman Barrows. "Are you finished with your visit? Good. Come on and I'll take you to the learning center."
"No." Jamie didn't dare stamp her foot, but she wanted to. "Nanny said I could stay and talk to Dr. McCoy."
The Yeoman did not look happy. "He's busy, come along like a good girl."
"Daddy said I could too." Jamie wasn't sure if he had or not. She hadn't asked him, but probably he would have said yes. Besides, she didn't really want to go back to the learning center right then. "I don't want to go." Daddy's yeoman frowned at that and looked like she was getting mad. Jamie didn't know her well enough to know if she'd holler or worse. Putting on her saddest face, Jamie tried a trick that worked pretty well sometimes, "I don't feel good."
Yeoman Barrows didn't look like she believed that at all, but Dr. Sampson came up behind Jamie and put kind hands on her shoulders. "Leave her here and I'll keep an eye on her. After what she's been through, she probably doesn't feel like getting back into a routine."
"Well, the Captain didn't say . . ."
"I'll speak to the Captain," Dr. Sampson said, smiling with her warm blue eyes. "Go on back to work. Jamie's in good hands here."
"If you're sure . . ." Even then the Yeoman didn't act like she wanted to leave. "You'll tell the Captain?"
For answer, Dr. Sampson pressed her com button, asked for Daddy and right in front of everyone said, "Captain, would you mind if Jamie visits in Sickbay awhile? There are a few little jobs she can help me with."
That was nice of her, Jamie thought, to make it seem like she really needed my help.
Daddy said, "Certainly, if she won't be any bother." After Dr. Sampson assured him that she wouldn't, he gave his permission. "Send Yeoman Barrows back to the bridge."
Ha ha, so there.
"Better you than me," Yeoman Barrows said with a funny laugh.
Dr. Sampson didn't laugh back but squeezed Jamie's shoulders again. As soon as the Yeoman left, she gave her the job of sorting some folders by color. Then Jamie rearranged a pile of computer disks in A,B,C order. Easy stuff. She worked and kept looking around for Dr. McCoy. Jamie saw him a couple of times in the hall, looking at charts, talking to a couple of the nurses about some treatments. Twice he went into his office, closed the door and she could hear his voice rumbling as he recorded something. He even waved her way once, but he didn't stop. Jamie was getting pretty desperate to talk to him. The more she thought about Daddy losing the Enterprise, the more her tummy ached.
I don't really like the Enterprise. It takes Daddy too far away from me. But, I know Daddy loves it. She remembered Gramma saying, "he loves that ship so much it's almost like a person to him."
"Dr. Sampson? Doesn't Dr. McCoy ever stop and rest?"
"Rest? I'm not sure he knows the meaning of the word."
After awhile, Dr. Sampson had lunch sent into Sickbay and after everything was cold, Dr. McCoy finally came to sit down. Jamie did what Gramma called "dawdling" over her apple slices and milk, waiting for everyone to go away so she could talk to him.
At last they were all alone at the table in the break room. Jamie spilled out the question in a hurry.
"Dr. McCoy? Could that old Ambassador take the Enterprise away from Daddy?"
"Could who what?"
So, she had to explain about the Ambassador yelling and hollering and what he said. "Could he?"
"Well now," Dr. McCoy took a sip of coffee and stared at the cream-colored walls. "I guess it's possible he could try, but I'm not sure he could succeed. Jim Kirk has a lot of friends in Starfleet. He's almost a legend in some circles . . . getting enough of the mukity mucks to agree he shouldn't have command wouldn't be easy. Especially over something as stupid as shipping contracts."
Jamie wasn't sure if that was yes or no. "He sure sounded awful mad."
Dr. McCoy laughed. "I'll bet. He probably never expected to lose the commission on six months of shipping. Jim sure pulled that over on him. Well, no rest for the wicked . . . better get back to the grind."
That was something else Jamie didn't understand. "Can't I ask you something else?"
"Sure."
"How come Daddy did something if he knew it would make the ambassador mad?" What were those words again? "Daddy said it was because of stenuating circumstances."
"Extenuating circumstances."
"What are those?"
"It's like something that changes a situation. You do something you'd never do because something more important is at stake. Jim knew that giving free shipping to Mavaro would rile the Ambassador, but he had to do it."
"Why?" Jamie wrinkled her nose in puzzlement.
Sighing, Dr. McCoy reached across the table and patted her hand. "He did it for you, Jamie, to get you out of the prison." In a simple, quiet voice, he explained how that mean old King Hescate meant to keep her in his jail. Forever. Jamie hadn't known that. That Daddy had to give him something he wanted - like free shipping - so he'd let Jamie go. "You were the extenuating circumstance. Even if it made the Ambassador and all of Starfleet madder than a wet hen, he'd have done it again if it was the only way to get you back here."
"But . . ." Jamie's throat ached like she might cry and little prickles pinched the corners of her eyes. Maybe Daddy truly did love her more than his ship. "Daddy might lose the Enterprise because of me. That old Ambassador said. Daddy loves the Enterprise almost more than anything."
"He loves you more."
The words made her feel worse instead of better. Even though Jamie wasn't sure she liked the Enterprise all that much and she'd rather be on Earth, she didn't want to be the reason Daddy lost his ship. That just would not be good at all. "I wouldn't want Daddy to lose his ship," she said in a small voice.
Dr. McCoy patted her head as he got up and said in a voice that sounded too hearty and pretend. "Now don't you worry about that. Your daddy has a way of landing on his feet."
It was meant to be comforting, but Jamie still felt like crying. She couldn't stop worrying either. There had to be a way to change that Ambassador's mind so he wouldn't go back to Starfleet causing trouble. There had to be a way.
#####
"Status on the investigation, Mr. Harrison?" Jim asked the head of Security over the com. "Anything to report?"
"Negative, Captain. We're going through everyone's credit reports now, searching for any financial discrepancies. The only red flag we've found is that your daughter's nanny transferred a large amount of credits to the shuttle pilot, Varoom."
Nanny Banks?
"Could she have been in collusion with whomever took Jamie?"
"Negative, Sir. It would have been impossible for to injure herself and she has no motive. Everything in our investigation shows that she's above reproach. Her references are impeccable and there's been no suggestion that points to her as the kidnapper."
Almost to himself, Jim said, "Except for a bunch of credits hidden off planet."
The Security chief responded as if Jim required an answer. "It's possible so we aren't ruling her out totally, but as far as our investigation goes right now, it wasn't her. Also there is the fact that she was in Sickbay, incapacitated when Jamie was returned to the Children's Deck. Unless she was working with a partner . . . there's no way she could have done it."
"Did she give you an explanation about the credits?"
"No, sir, she can't remember. Dr. McCoy says it's likely she's telling the truth on that. Some parts of her memory will have to recover slowly."
"What about Varoom? Did you ask him?"
"We've interviewed him too. He readily admitted she'd transferred credits to his account. Says they were hoping to eventually be married and were combining accounts."
Jim's brow furrowed and he said to no one in particular, "Odd. I thought I heard rumors about Varoom and one of the Lt. in Engineering."
"Unsubstantiated, sir," Harrison said with his crisp, secret agent voice. "We also questioned Nanny Banks who admitted that the two of them were serious about each other. She can't remember details about the credits."
"Very well, carry on. Let me know as soon as you know anything. Kirk out."
Frustrating. As he had several other times that day, he pressed the button and opened communication with Sickbay. Jamie was fine, Nurse John reported, eating a late lunch with Dr. McCoy. He also checked in with the Security team he'd assigned to keep an eye on Jamie. No one other than authorized personnel had gone anywhere near Jamie or Sickbay. For the moment things were calm - on the outside. Inside, Jim Kirk was a mass of emotions churning almost out of control. Someone had taken his daughter, stolen a lot of his credits and returned her. He was determined to find out who.
######
It had been a long, boring day. Mostly. Jamie yawned and quickly hid it behind her hand. If Yeoman Barrows thought she was tired, she might insist that Jamie go to bed. Although she tried not to be afraid of most things - except for lightning and Venus rats - Jamie didn't want to admit she was terrified of going to bed. What if Yeoman Barrows left her in bed and the elephant man came back? Tonight, she wouldn't be sitting on Daddy's lap, safe and snug in his arms. She'd be all alone without Nanny Banks or Daddy. Every time she thought of it, Jamie got a scared, sick feeling in her stomach and icy chills on the back of her arms. She wished she could think of a way to stay awake all night.
At first, she thought maybe she could pretend she was sick. Then Dr. Mc Coy would have to keep her in Sickbay. That wouldn't be too bad. Nanny was there as well as the men who'd gotten burnt on the Children's Deck. If the elephant man came back, someone would surely holler. Wouldn't they? But no one would believe she was sick so that was a lost excuse.
"Come, Jamie," Yeoman Barrows said after supper. "The Captain said you should get into bed early tonight. You've had a rough couple of days."
"I'm not sleepy," she tried not to yawn but it happened anyway.
The Yeoman laughed which changed her usual sour expression. Her brown eyes twinkled like she might be laughing. Jamie didn't like being laughed at. "It doesn't look like it. Come along, you're dawdling."
So, Jamie followed but she let her feet drag the least little bit. Anything to slow down when she'd have to get into that scary bed. "Will you leave the night light on?" She asked, wanting that understood right away. No way was she sleeping there in the dark.
"Um," Yeoman Barrows murmured stepping into the turbo lift. "Officer's Deck."
As usual the lift was too fast. It didn't take half a second to walk down the brown tiled corridor. Jamie's heart went thump, thump, thump so loud her ears pulsed. Then, to her surprise they walked past her quarters.
"Where are we going?"
"You're going to bed."
The Yeoman stopped in front of Daddy's quarters, put her hand on the enter pad and stated, "Barrows." The door slid open and she turned, annoyed that Jamie wasn't following her.
Jamie stood by her own door confused. "How come we're going in there?"
"The Captain said to put you in his bed tonight. He doesn't want you sleeping alone in your quarters until the kidnapper is caught or Nanny Banks is back."
"Oh." Jamie didn't mind sleeping in Daddy's quarters - even if she had to have old Yeoman Barrows babysitting. But, it would be much nicer if Daddy planned to come himself.
As soon as they got inside, Jamie saw that someone had packed a little bag for her and left it on the desk. Yeoman Barrows pulled the purple nightgown, a toothbrush and even the soft, squishy pillow Jamie liked to sleep with. Gramma's quilt was folded at the foot of Daddy's big bed. So, maybe it wouldn't be too bad sleeping in here, Jamie thought, still sad because she wished Daddy would come. Maybe she could ask him about the Ambassador.
"Hurry up and get in bed," the yeoman scolded. "You should be asleep before your father gets here. I'm not going to be responsible for not obeying his orders."
"Daddy's coming?"
The Yeoman got a funny look on her face. "Of course, this is where he sleeps. Did you think he never leaves the bridge?"
It was a stupid question, so Jamie didn't answer it. She did not like grownups who acted like she was so dumb she didn't know something simple. As she got ready for bed, then climbed in Daddy's big, soft bed, Jamie didn't say anything else to Yeoman Barrows.
Baxter said being silent drove the grownups nuts. Since Jamie didn't like the yeoman, she didn't care if she drove her nuts or not.
"Good night," the yeoman said, turning the lights low and going to sit in a molded chair by the reading light. She took a Kindle 2250 out of her carry bag and started to read something on it.
"Um," Jamie murmured, just in case Daddy was listening in and would think she was being rude on purpose. I am but I don't want him to know that.
Jamie planned to stay awake until Daddy came. She wanted him to tell her that he wasn't going to lose the Enterprise because of her. But the harder she tried to stay awake, the sleepier she got. Once she jolted awake and saw Yeoman Barrows nodding over her Kindle. The next time she woke it was to an almost dark room and no yeoman. Jamie sat up, more frightened than she'd ever been before. Suddenly, she heard a funny cough and realized the bed was a lot warmer and more crowded than it had been before.
"Daddy?"
"S'okay," he mumbled half asleep. "Night."
The rapid beating of Jamie's heart slowed, and she snuggled down against Daddy's broad back. Everything was okay for right now . . . but in the morning, she was going to ask more questions and find out the truth. If that Ambassador McCale meant what he hollered, then Jamie planned to do something about it.