The return to Starfleet command was more than eventful. After pulling into the space dock and being mobbed by personnel and reporters, they boarded shuttlecrafts where they arrived in San Francisco and were mobbed by personnel and reporters. The crew of the Enterprise was too tired to deal with any of it and made an extra effort to stay inside until the craze died down a bit. Thankfully, it was easier than anybody thought since Starfleet made a great effort to reinstate classes and allow the senior class to finish and graduate.
Classes seemed so hum drum compared to the previous time spent on the Enterprise. While most were glad for the sedate pace, some were finding it lacking. By the time it came to graduating, James Kirk was just itching to go back into space. His friend and vitriolic doctor Leonard McCoy was not as eager, though some deep part of him wanted to return to the ship; not that he would actually admit that to anybody.
"C'mon man! Don't you want to get back up there and have all kinds of spacey adventures?"
McCoy looked over at Kirk like he was some kind of idiot.
"'Spacey adventures?' You graduate from Starfleet and all you can say is you want to have spacey adventures? Grow the hell up, Jim."
This only caused Kirk to grin ear to ear. They were walking down the now empty hallway pausing every so often to check the directories periodically lining the hallway. Most of Starfleet Academy was empty of cadets now that the training period was done. The only people left were the teachers who were finishing up the final papers and grades.
"So, did they purposely try and find the farthest hole in the wall office for him or something? Where the hell is it?" Kirk asked impatiently.
"Space you can handle. Finding that pointy eared bastard's office, way too complicated for your 'spacey adventure' brain." McCoy's answer dripped with sarcasm.
Either taking the sarcasm in stride or just remaining oblivious to it, Kirk studied a nearby directory and absent-mindedly speculated.
"Maybe he's got like a cloaking device or something."
Rolling his eyes, the good doctor just crossed his arms impatiently and irritably tapped his foot against the tile floor.
"Right. Jim, don't you say anything after this but, that's just damn illogical." growled McCoy.
Kirk simply shrugged and began exploring the hallway. When they arrived at an intersection, Kirk looked back and forth between the two before settling on the left path. McCoy was about to suggest they call it quits since he had better things to do than look for Spock when Kirk shouted in triumph.
"Ah ha! See, told ya so! I found it!"
Slapping his hand to his face, McCoy shook his head and smacked him upside the head.
"What the hell do you want? A medal?" he asked sarcastically.
"Yeah, I want a medal for awesomness in finding offices." replied Kirk with a cheeky grin.
A second smack echoed through the hallway as McCoy walked past him and approached the door labeled, "Commander Spock." He was about to hit the intercom buzzer, but before he even reached the button, a voice called out,
"Enter."
The door slid to the side and revealed Spock sitting at a desk reading a series of PADDs. He did not even look up as Kirk and McCoy stepped inside.
"Hey, Spock!" Kirk grinned as he waved.
"Doctor. Captain." he responded calmly.
"How did you know we were coming?" McCoy asked.
"Simple, Doctor. I heard you down the hall. I believe it was around the cloaking device on my office part."
There was really nothing to say. McCoy frowned as he realized that it meant Spock heard him say "illogical." Kirk bit back a grin.
As they waited in front of his desk, Kirk and McCoy shared an awkward glance. Despite standing in front of his desk, Spock had yet to make any other acknowledgment of their existence. He just continued to read and type away at the PADDs. Kirk opened his mouth and was about to talk, but he was interrupted.
"At this point, it would be logical for you to state your purpose for visiting."
"Blunt bastard, aren't you?" McCoy grumbled as he crossed his arms.
"While I acknowledge your deficiency in manners, I presumed you were capable of basic communication. I apologize for my assumption and I offer my condolences."
It took every ounce of control Kirk had to keep from collapsing due to laughter. McCoy blustered and stalked menacingly to Spock's desk.
"Oh I'll show you basic communication!"
Still laughing, Kirk grabbed his friend by the arm and patted his shoulder consolingly. From what he could tell, McCoy did not appreciate Spock's attempt at humor. Then again, there was a good chance he was not trying to be humorous and was simply stating the facts. If that were the case, it was all the funnier.
"Easy, Bones. I'm sure Spock's just swamped with final papers and getting grades in for before graduation."
Not looking up, Spock nodded his head once.
"Indeed. I am compiling the final results of recent Kobayashi Maru participants."
That piqued Kirk's interest. The damnable test was still going on even though he had shown it was possible to beat it. Of course, he might have "cheated" on the test, but he still stood by his defense of creativity.
Before they had arrived back on Earth, Kirk had wondered what would happen to him since the Nero crisis interrupted his trial. He assumed it would resume and the council would definitely rule in his favor. Turned out, by the time he returned, there was no indication that he had ever been on trial. Even though McCoy had told him to just be thankful and leave it, Kirk had asked around and nobody had any idea what had happened. The admiralty was adamantly silent on the whole matter as well. Kirk finally suspected it had something to do with the Vulcan sitting across from him.
"Oh, so what's the average grade so far?" he asked casually.
"There are no grades for the Kobayashi Maru, therefore it is pointless to average anything."
Spock's answer surprised both Kirk and McCoy. By referring to the program as a test, they had assumed grades were involved. Leaning against the desk, Kirk inquired curiously.
"So wait, if there aren't any grades, how do you determine if somebody passes or not?"
At this point, Spock finally looked up. He cocked his eyebrow and quietly answered,
"The point of the Kobayashi Maru is not to pass. As I stated previously, it is designed to put potential captains in situations that are out of their control and determine how the participant maintains control." Spock paused a moment and picked up one of the PADDs. "During the course of the simulation, I observe the cadets and assess their decisions. If you wish to know, I have the final report for all three attempts at the Kobayashi Maru for your perusal."
Reigning in his eagerness, Kirk grabbed the offered PADD and began reading. He was only vaguely aware of McCoy looking over his shoulder.
He was sure he would see harsh comments regarding his behavior and the method in which he handled the test the third time. Instead, Kirk was more than surprised at the detached, but praising commentary. From what he could tell, he had done pretty damn good his first time around. Apparently Spock had found his ability to be confident in his decision making above average and noted the determination he possessed in attempting the test a second and third time. It was then that he arrived at the most important part. As he read through Spock's notes, he was not surprised to read about the near offensive act of initiating a sub-routine. What caught his eye most though, was the grudging respect for such a creative approach. Even if he was cheating and missing the point entirely, the act itself spoke loudly of his character. The stubbornness and absolute refusal to accept defeat, according to Spock anyway, indicated a positive quality many starship captains were lacking. In the end, he concluded that Kirk would make an excellent captain in light of his unorthodox approach and blasé method of changing parameters.
"Good job, Jim. You passed the first time. Why the hell did I do it another two times?" the gruffness to McCoy's rebuff was offset by the small smirk and almost proud look on his face.
Smiling back, Kirk handed the PADD back to Spock.
"Because you love me?"
"I'm fairly certain love had nothing to do with it." grumbled the doctor.
Punching his shoulder playfully, Kirk turned his attention back to Spock who had resumed studying the work laid out across his desk.
"So if there is no pass or fail, why is it even necessary? I mean, I get the whole judging characteristics, but there are other methods, you know?"
Spock glanced up and for all intents and purposes, looked like a teacher talking down to his students.
"You are correct that there are other methods. However, the Kobayashi Maru is not only a character indicator. It is a way for a potential captain to experience a life or death situation without having to face the consequences." explained Spock patiently. He sat back in his chair a bit as he continued to regard the young human before him. "Though there is no proper way to truly prepare any person for these situations, experiencing a simulation of it first makes it less…out of the blue, I believe is the human expression."
"So basically you just don't want people getting caught off guard." Kirk summarized.
Spock slowly nodded his head once.
"Indeed. It is too easy for an individual to assume such a situation could never occur under his or her command. That is, until the situation is at hand when he or she panics and is unable to command the vessel, which is worse than taking action and it leading to unfavorable consequences."
"Better to do something than not do anything at all, huh?" Kirk crossed his arms thoughtfully. "You really are into this test, aren't you? Speaking of which, have you ever taken the Kobayashi Maru?"
"Negative. I created and designed it, but have not participated." came the bland reply.
"But something tells me you've done something similar? At least, that's what it kind of sounds like." pushed Kirk.
A brief pause and slight frown were quickly covered up as Spock began organizing the PADDs on his desk.
"Your assumption is correct. However, I was not the one in command."
Once the PADDs were placed just so, Spock resumed studying them with a new kind of intensity. McCoy arched a questioning eyebrow at Kirk who shrugged and shook his head. It was clear that there had reached the wall in the conversation and nobody would be happy or even in one piece if it continued.
"Right then…Jim, we didn't come all this way to read your files. Since it's your idea, you be a good boy and ask." McCoy easily switched to a new topic much to Kirk and Spock's relief.
"Be my first officer. No more saying no." He slapped the palm of his hand on the desk for emphasis.
Spock took a deep breath. It was only logical that the newly appointed captain would still be asking the same question. James Kirk was a most determined person when he wanted to.
"Regardless of your demand, I must still decline, Captain."
Though his shoulders drooped a little, the challenging glint in Kirk's eyes remained. McCoy stood a little ways back with his arms crossed. He was studying the whole situation with a critical eye reserved for the most difficult of surgeries. From what Kirk told him and from what little he could read the Vulcan, McCoy figured that the chances of getting Spock as the first office could go anyway.
"But I don't want anybody else to be the first officer." Kirk tried to keep the whine out of his voice. That would most likely lower his chances of convincing Spock.
"I am honored that you would consider no one else, however, to do so would be highly illogical. There are a number of candidates with more than satisfactory services." continued Spock.
McCoy just shook his head. This debate had been going on ever since classes ended and Kirk graduated with the rank of captain. It was unheard of. He would not only be the youngest person to ever make captain, he was the only one who had never served on a starship as any other rank. Even if there was now a scarcity in experienced officers since the Nero incident, it was still unheard of. Then again, the whole Nero incident was solved by a crew of young officers with little to no experience. Apparently weirder things have happened.
"Listen. I know that it's logical for you to go with your people, but it's not the right choice, and you know it. I also know that you want to be out there in space." Kirk continued to press.
"What I want is irrelevant. I have a duty as do you." Spock countered just as stubbornly.
Neither one was willing to budge from their positions. Even Pike, now an admiral, could not convince Spock to stay with Starfleet. No matter how hard anybody tried, Spock was determined to remain with the remaining survivors of Vulcan and help re-establish their species. It was logical and nobody could fault him for it. Kirk did not want to either, but it was damn difficult to do when Spock refused to even consider it. If he understood Spock's older counterpart correctly, the timeline is correcting itself so it is a given that Spock be his first officer. Therefore, if it had to happen sometime, it might as well happen as soon as possible. Besides, it would not have been necessary for Ambassador Spock to tell him it had to happen, Kirk knew, after the mission on Nero's ship, he did not want any other person to be his second-in-command.
"Don't try to fight it, Spock. It's going to happen." he said with a tone of finality.
The cocky grin Kirk shot at Spock resulted in a raised eyebrow. McCoy just rolled his eyes. It always started and ended the same. Both were absolutely determined not to give in to the other. McCoy shook his head and sighed. Those two did belong together if only to compliment each other's stubborn natures.
"You keep insisting on this and my answer remains the same. If you have nothing new to say, then I must excuse myself. Captain, Doctor."
"Commander."
Kirk and McCoy responded in unison. They followed Spock out of his office and watched him march resolutely down the hallway. When he was no longer visible, Kirk sighed and McCoy patted him on the arm commiserating.
"Dammit. I know it's gotta happen, Bones." Kirk crossed his arms absolutely perplexed as to how he was supposed to get the Vulcan to join him.
"Maybe it's not going to happen right now. I mean, things are already different. This could be one of those things." McCoy suggested.
Chewing on his bottom lip, Kirk crossed his arms and began nodding his head. McCoy knew that look.
"Fine. I'm bringing in the big guns. I'll see you later tonight."
Not even waiting for his friend to respond, Kirk took off down the hallway. He was going to try and avoid resorting to this, but Spock was leaving him with no choice. Word passed through earlier that a Vulcan ambassador had arrived from Delta Vega. Kirk grinned to himself. If anybody could tell him how to convince Spock, it was Spock.
As he thought about the elderly Vulcan, Kirk really wished he could tell this reality's Spock about him. The rest of the bridge crew, along with McCoy and Scott, knew about Spock's older alternate self. He even told Pike about it in a private report that Starfleet did not receive. So really, just about everybody knew about Ambassador Spock except Spock who probably at least guessed something along those lines. Thankfully though, Spock had made no move to ask anything about it.
Finally, after running around a bit, Kirk found who he was looking for. Ambassador Spock was casually strolling in the hallways outside the main auditorium.
"Hey, Ambassador!" Kirk called out to him.
Turning around, Ambassador Spock smiled gently.
"Jim. It is good to see you. I see you have become a captain now." he said genially.
It was strange to know that this Vulcan was the same person as Commander Spock. If Spock was to become his first officer, Kirk hoped that he would learn to mellow out like this Spock. However, something told him that it would be a long time before his Spock learned to relax like this one.
"Yeah. I'm captain now. Though I kinda feel bad about emotionally compromising you…Spock…whatever." Kirk replied uncertainly.
Ambassador Spock just smiled.
"Though we are the same being, we are not the same person. You may refer to us as two separate people."
Kirk was confused. Ambassador Spock continued patiently.
"We are from two very different worlds and led very different lives. Genetically we are the same, possess similar thought patterns, but Spock and I are two different people."
"Okay then…so is it weird to be referring to yourself as a second person?"
This caused the ambassador to laugh with a low chuckle. Seeing a Vulcan laugh, which was something Kirk was positive nobody else had ever seen. He was fairly certain that Ambassador Spock was a bit of a radical as far as a Vulcan went. The emotion that he saw on his face was proof enough. Of course, it was still subtle in comparison to a human, but after spending time with the younger Spock and Sarek, it was a noticeable difference.
"It is easier than it seems. I have not been that young for a long time nor was I ever so…intense."
"You're both really good at understatement." Kirk replied with a smirk.
"So I have been told on many occasions." Spock said with a wry smile. "But what is it you wish to talk to me about? Is it Spock?"
"You guessed it, Old Man."
"I anticipated my younger counterpart resigning from Starfleet and joining the remaining Vulcan survivors." Spock sagely acknowledged.
At the stunned look from Kirk, Spock raised a single eyebrow in a familiar gesture.
"It is exactly what I would do if I were in his place. I do know what I am thinking…most times anyways."
Kirk studied the older man carefully. He could not be sure, but he thought Ambassador Spock just made a joke. Actually, the slight upturn at the corners of his mouth made Kirk positive.
"So Vulcans can joke?" he asked incredulously.
"Not in the most obvious of manners." Spock answered off-handedly.
"Huh. I'll have to pay attention to that. Anyways though, what do I do to get Spock to be my first officer? You said it yourself, the timeline's correcting itself so he's going to be my first officer. Why isn't he going to be my first officer?"
"Calm down, Jim. Everything works according to its time."
"Well it's kind of running out. I may not know you as well as you know you, but from what I can tell, Spock isn't going to change his mind any time soon." Kirk said with a slight hitch in his voice.
Spock remained calm and nodded his head slowly.
"True. At that age, I was extremely stubborn. All I can say is to trust Spock and trust yourself. It will work out for the best."
"That's it?" he asked.
"That is it." Spock simply replied.
They stood in silence staring at each other for a few painfully long moments before Kirk looked away. He rubbed his hand through his hair roughly before speaking.
"Okay. I'll do that. But that doesn't mean I won't stop hounding him."
"I do not believe you should stop."
With a small parting grin, Spock turned around began walking again leaving Kirk alone and to his thoughts. While he was pacing the hallway thinking of ways to get Spock to stay with Starfleet, a small beep interrupted his thoughts.
"Shit."
Kirk cursed as he sprinted down the hallway and headed back towards the professors' offices. He had to meet with Pike in only a few moments to discuss which starship he would be captain of. He really did not want to be late for such an important meeting.
As he ran through the hallways, he did not apologize to the professor he almost ran over and only paused momentarily to catch his breath before hitting the buzzer to Pike's office.
"Come."
The door opened and Kirk politely stepped in. Admiral Pike was waiting patiently behind his desk with his hands folded neatly in front of him. Kirk stood at attention.
"At ease, Captain."
A small smirk crept along his face when he heard the word "captain." It never got old. Pike noticed it and shook his head fondly.
"I can't believe it either. I thought for sure I'd get to order you around as a lieutenant for a good eight years yet."
"Told ya I'd do better." he said as cheekily as possible.
Grinning, Pike reached across his desk and grabbed a PADD. Kirk had to school his expression into one of pure neutrality. He knew that piece of electronic equipment held his fate in its files. The anticipation was consuming him. Pike browsed through the PADD at a languid pace, pausing every now and again to read something over. Kirk began twitching.
"You look a little anxious, Kirk." Pike asked with a questioning glance.
"Seriously? Are you really doing this to me?"
Taking pity on the squirming young man, Pike set the PADD down and smiled, genuinely happy for Kirk.
"James T. Kirk, you are now officially the captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise."
"I'm sorry, what did you say?" Kirk asked dumbfounded.
"You heard me exactly, Captain." Pike grinned.
Kirk stood slack-jawed as he stared at Pike. It was unbelievable. He had been hoping against all odds to be the captain of that vessel, but reminded himself he was not only a rookie captain way before his years, there would be other long standing captains in line for it. But somehow, some way, the impossible once again happened. There really might be some truth to the whole "timeline correcting itself" scenario.
"I'm the captain of the Enterprise? How the hell did that happen?!" he asked cheerfully as possible.
Pike leaned back in his chair and appeared awfully smug.
"There were people pulling some strings."
"Meaning you?" Kirk asked with an expectant look.
"I might have made a few…forceful requests." Pike crossed his arms in self-satisfaction. "I apparently have a lot more clout than I thought I did. Then again, I think it helped that Spock got involved."
Upon hearing about Spock, Kirk immediately became alert. Never once during his talks with him did Spock ever mention anything about getting the Enterprise under his command.
"Wait. Spock put in a good word for me?"
"A good word and then some. There isn't a person here who doesn't listen to him."
There was a distant look to Pike's eyes as he recalled some of the more colorful events. Kirk wished he had found a way to eavesdrop on those conversations.
"Starfleet command was especially willing to listen given the circumstances of Vulcan. Not to mention his father is the ambassador to Earth and the service Spock did for the Federation." he paused a moment then continued. "Plus that was the first time Spock requested anything."
"So basically I should thank Spock for getting me the newest and best ship of Starfleet?" Kirk asked with a smirk.
"Basically. He'll probably deny having done much. But you should have seen him at a council meeting. I've never seen a person tell somebody to live long and prosper and make it sound like 'screw you all.'" Pike could not stop a grin at the memory.
Kirk had no doubt that Spock would be able to pull that off. He was beginning to think his original concept of sassy Spock was true. Now he definitely needed Spock to be his second in command.
"He's got a talent for that sort of thing, doesn't he?"
Pike nodded his head.
"Yes he does. It's a shame he isn't staying in Starfleet. He's a hell of an asset."
"Don't worry. He's staying. He's going to be my first officer." Kirk said confidently.
"Oh really? You convinced him?" Pike asked surprised.
"Not yet. But he will. I know it."
There was no trace of doubt in his stance. Pike was amazed Kirk's ability to never give up. However, after having Spock serve under him for several years, he was not so sure Kirk would be able sway him from his current decision. It was a classic example of an unstoppable force meeting an immoveable object.
"Well, let me know how that goes for you." Pike said with a little more doubt. "I'm still trying to convince him. Hell, even the wife is going to give it a try."
"Seriously?"
"She's going to be giving it a go at tonight's party. If anybody can logically convince Spock to stay with Starfleet, it's her."
Kirk thought about it for a while and had to agree. Ilyrians were infamous for their single-minded concentration on perfection. When it came to logic and intellect, they could rival the Vulcans. It turned out that the brightest Ilyrian of their generation was once a Starfleet officer, wife to Christopher Pike, and the closest thing to a friend Spock had. From what Kirk had heard, people can apparently bond over logic.
"Yeah well, tell me how that one goes for you." Kirk turned the words around. "Hey, Pike? Do you think Spock wants to stay in Starfleet?"
Pike did not hesitate.
"Yes. He loves space and science. No better place to do that than in Starfleet as a science officer." he nodded his head once as he gathered his thoughts. "But he's stubborn and dutiful. And Vulcan needs all the Vulcans they can get, even half Vulcans."
Sighing aloud, Kirk knew Pike was right. Even though the older Spock told him to trust the younger Spock, he was not so sure. The clash between the excitement over gaining captaincy of the Enterprise and the frustration at lack of a certain Vulcan first officer was causing Kirk to become agitated. Pike noticed his agitation.
"Listen, Kirk. I've managed to postpone declaring the first officer up until the day you leave. If he isn't onboard before you leave, then you'll have to have a second choice on hand. Got it?"
Hearing this caused Kirk to brighten up immediately. He was practically bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet.
"Yeah, yeah. I got it. Thanks Admiral."
Pike rolled his eyes at the way Kirk emphasized his new title.
"Go on. Get out of here and get some rest before tonight."
"Oh that's right. Tonight's ceremony and party celebrating my captaincy of the Enterprise!" said Kirk with mock ignorance.
"Cheeky bastard. You're dismissed."
Making an overly dramatic salute, Kirk grinned as he marched out of the office. Standing eagerly outside was McCoy, Sulu, and Chekov. All three had found the time to support their friend and one time captain. Before the door closed behind him, they could see Pike shaking his head in amusement.
"So, what'd he say, Jim?" McCoy pressed animatedly.
Kirk tried to suppress his grin, but failed miserably at it. He spread his arms out wide and declared,
"Boys, you're looking at the new captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise!"
A/N: A bit slow on this chapter. Had a bit of rearranging to do to make it all work. Not the greatest chapter I've ever wrote. That said, I had to break this chapter into two parts due to length. So I lied. One more chapter to end this little prequel and the main story will begin. I'll let you know if I lie again next chapter. Hopefully I won't have to lie anymore. So now I pose a question to you: Who wants this to be K/S and who wants it to be K&S. Either way, there's man-bonding. Just whether or not man-bonding reaches the bed is up to the readers. Let me know what you think over the course of the next chapters. Hope you enjoyed. Leave me your thoughts.
Trouble with Tribbles: They're crazy delicious.
~Tofu