Jim was having a vid com with his new friend Bones the night before he left Vulcan. He'd spent almost five months there and it had done him a world of good giving him the peace and privacy he needed to heal. Much as he hated to leave, (especially Spock), he was ready to move on with the next stage of remaking his life.

"You ready to do this?" Bones asked. "It's quite a big culture change."

"Yeah, Bones, I'm ready. Looking forward to furthering my education. Is Starfleet still ticked at me?"

The doctor chuckled. "A little. Now the boneheaded Admirals that wouldn't listen to Pike are busy blaming each other for their lackluster policies that ended up with the son of a hero getting treated like a whore. Your testimony really struck a nerve."

"Good." Jim clenched his jaw, feeling torn between irritation and satisfaction. He'd recently videotaped a testimony to aid in Pike's ongoing investigation into the trafficking issue and hadn't held anything back, deciding they didn't deserve to be spared the gory details.

"For seven years, I was part of Lady Andromeda's household as her favored sexual "pet." Her husband spoiled her rotten and loved to watch when she had me in her bed.

At first, I tried to fight it, but soon learned that only resulted in her trying crazy kinky stuff that was downright scary for a barely 16 year old. Not enjoying being trussed up from the ceiling, blindfolded and gagged, I just gave in the next time so it wouldn't be such a terrifying experience. As a result, I began to loathe my own body for responding the way it did."

Bones had seen it and called him with a grim expression to say how sickened he was and amazed at Jim's resilience and he'd support him in whatever he chose to do. He'd quit urging Jim to join Starfleet, but shamelessly shared how Pike, Barnett, Boyce and their associates were ready to knock some heads around.

"I've never seen Chris on the verge of tears before, but during that video, it was obvious he was gettin' emotional. He really cares about you, Jim, and he hated what happened. Heck, I hate what happened."

"You're a good man, Bones, and so is Chris. I'll make sure to keep you updated. Just getting that stuff off my chest has already helped."

"As a slave on the cattle farm of my second master, it was not uncommon for minor offenses like oversleeping or failing to complete the allotted tasks in time to be punished with 10-25 lashes with a whip. Major infractions, such as running away or stealing food were 30-50. I knew at least five slaves that died of starvation during my three years there."

"That's good, Jim. By the way, I met someone who says they knew you from your first enslavement. She got free a few years ago and joined up in Engineering. She keeps begging me to ask you if you'd be willing to talk sometime."

"Oh, who is she?" Jim asked, wracking his brain for girls he'd met at Andromeda's.

"Her name's Gaila, and she's a real fireball. So much energy, its dizzying. But maybe that's the pheromones, because she's an Orion."

Jim couldn't believe his ears. "Gaila's still alive? When she was sold to Lahnar I thought she was doomed! I can't believe it!"

Bones was grinning now. "Oh you bet she's still alive, all right. Very much so and she wants to talk to Jimmy, as she called you, as soon as possible."

"Well," he said regretfully, "It may have to wait a few days until I'm settled down in my apartment on Betazed, but she's welcome to leave a message on my comm and I'll get back to her as soon as I can. Man, it's good to hear she got out of slavery, too."

"Sure is," he agreed. "I'll let you go, now, Jim. Safe travels!"

"Thanks Bones. I'll talk to you soon!"

Jim looked around his little cool basement room after he'd signed off and thought how homey it had become to him in the last five months.

He had little to pack, having arrived in nothing but his rags, and had gone shopping with Amanda for some respectable outfits (replicator clothes were somewhat flimsy).

Jim had took advantage of his inheritance for his schooling costs and was very thankful Pike had had trust rather than Frank. Still, even with all his purchases, he only needed one suitcase for his clothes, PADD, and other sundry necessities.

"I don't know I can ever thank you enough," he told his hosts at dinner the night before he was to leave.

"This is just the right sort of place I needed. You've all been so gracious to me, I feel like I'm leaving my family."

"As slaves, we had an unspoken support system built into protect each other and keep our spirits up. There was a young Andorian who got caught trying to escape and they were going to beat him. I asked if they could punish me instead because 40 lashes would kill him in the condition he was in.

The overseer agreed I could take half, but he still had to punish Vrem. It hurt, but Vrem survived, so it was worth the bloody back. I remember we cleaned each other's wounds up afterward and he was so grateful. He asked me why I did it and I told him, "Because you're family."

Amanda's eyes were moist as she looked at Jim. "We're glad we could help, Jim and we very much consider you a part of our family so I'll be expecting a weekly update."

"It is pleasing to see you recovering your health, James," added Sarek. "I wish you continued success in your studies and career. Our home is open to you should you choose to visit again."

Spock said nothing, but her dark brown eyes were looking at him with more emotion than usual and she seemed to be very thoughtful.

Afterward, he summed up the courage to ask her to come stargaze one last time and she agreed. Amanda gave them a curious look, but said nothing.

"I'm going to miss this, Spock." Jim said at last, eyes fixed on the brilliantly starlit sky.

"You will miss the stars?" She asked, turning to look at him.

"The stars, the sand, the silence, I-Chaya." They smiled at each other at the mention of the fearsome looking pet that had scared Jim when he'd first arrived. The two had become friends and Jim was known to give the Sehlat rubs behind the ear that had him purring in contentment.

"But, most of all the people: Your father and mother and most definitely you, Spock."

Jim was having a hard time putting his feelings into words, but he gathered his courage up and went on.

"I don't know if I'll ever be able to have a real relationship with my history, but you're the first woman I've met that made me wish I could.

I...uh...really like you, Spock."

Good thing it was dark and she couldn't see his face flame at his awkward admission. She was probably repulsed, horrified, grossed out...

"You have feelings of a romantic nature for me?" Spock asked, looking at him intently.

"Yes, I do." Jim confessed nervously. "I'm not trying to start something yet, because obviously it's a bad time, but I thought you should know so you could, maybe, think about the possibility?"

"How logical of you, Jim. Yes, I will certainly give the matter thought. You are a very kind and intelligent man, despite all your trials and rather aesthetically pleasing as well."

He thought he saw her mouth turn up in a smile. "Yes, you will be in my thoughts frequently, James."

Well, he thought later as he waited for sleep to take him, there was hope for him, after all. It was nice to be able to feel real attraction again, especially for such an amazing person as Spock.

"No matter how numb you get to the circumstances of your slavery, it leaves you with a deep self-loathing. I hated my own looks for making me so "desirable" to her and I hated her for being able to make me sound so pathetic and...and needy.

As a labor slave, they never had to worry about me breaking the no fraternization rule, because by that point, I wasn't letting any one touch me in any way that remotely reminded me of her and I stifled any hints of attraction I occasionally felt until I couldn't feel it anymore.

How in the world can we in the Federation allow that cycle of turning people into objects, whether sexual or unpaid labor, to continue?"