13.01 Weather the Storm Together

It took a while for Jim to realize what was wrong when he returned to the bridge in the morning. Everything seemed the same but his crew acted strangely. It was like they were hiding something.

Jim hated secrets. The ones kept from him. So, naturally, he investigated.

Quietly, of course, since there's nothing worse for morale than when a Captain doubts his own crew. It was to make sure he didn't yet again slip between universes and ended up on a ship that isn't quite his own.

Spock was as he always was but Jim already knew he likes Spock in any universe so he was biased when Spock was in question. Besides, they could have go through the disturbance together.

The log was off. It wasn't like he left it.

Without much noise, he examined the recent logs and records. When he found it, he smiled gently and carried on with their tasks.

It was his crew around him and he was where he should be.

Not to interrupt Spock and Jim at their wedding night they resolved the whole crisis with a stranded alien on their own. Chekov was signed as the acting Captain.

They solved it quite well. Jim would do a few things different but there was no reason to scorn them. There was no reason to even bring it up. It was a perfect gift from their crew which Jim appreciated very much.

Some moments can last forever if they aren't interrupted by random crisis.

Like this moment. They sailed among stars like they usually did between two different crises.

It was a perfect moment to get up from his chair and go over to Spock's station to speak to him some more. There was nothing Jim liked more than a good conversation with Spock. Luckily for him, it seemed they are leading a few of them simultaneously for years.

One of them was just successfully concluded by Spock folding and accepting emotions as an integral part of his personality.

Jim wondered who will win in the next round but the answer didn't bother him. The conversation itself was what brought joy to life, that provoked colours and offered challenges. All the things that made life worth his while were encapsulated in there.

"Captain?" Spock sensed his approach turning his chair towards him.

"Again he with the Captain," Uhura murmured to herself but audible enough for them to hear.

"I fail to understand the problem, that is his function," Spock frowned at her.

Jim touched his sleeve to attract attention back to himself.

"Mr Spock," Jim said to be as formal as he can be supporting Spock's need for formality but before he could say anything more the ship shook and red alert was sounded.

There was no time to talk but it was time for something they were better at. Solving crisis and defeating enemies. If their conversations were a battle, they were just a practice by blunt sticks so their united minds would be sharp enough when a real crisis would arise. They were perfectly matched sparing partners. That made them face any puzzle with confidence.

Like that thing before them. What was that? It looked like it can eat a whole planet in one swoop.

"Battle stations," Jim shouted and went to his chair to command them as he should, without a shred of doubt.

Spock came after him and stood by Jim's chair. Jim looked up at him and nodded. That was his battle station, by Jim's side. Together they can weather any storm and they will do that just now. Weather the storm that is the universe.