Leonard McCoy dried his hands on a small dishtowel and made a grandfatherly growl as he dived at a toddler rounding the corner. "Papa bear sees a little tiny baby bear. Rooooaaaar!" and crouching low he chased her squealing down the hall.

"Dad!" Joanne rounded the corner to reproach her father. "She's supposed to be in bed. Please don't chase her through the house like that, she'll be right back up if she thinks you'll play with her."

"Well I know that and you know that, but this itsy bitsy teeny weeny little bear doesn't know it." He made little tickling motions with his hand, threatening his giggling granddaughter through her mother.

Joanne grimaced.

It was nice to have her father playing with the children, but he just didn't know when to quit sometimes. She wasn't sure which was worse, a sullen father or an overly indulgent one.

But then he tilted his head and smiled. He could charm the blue right out of the sky, her mama used to say. She couldn't help but smile in return.

"Here. This came for you this evening. I think it's from Christine." She handed him a small flat white package. A letter. She shook her head as he took it. It still amazed her that people wrote on paper and waited until their little paper packages arrived. It seemed so slow and primitive. But it sure made her dad happy.

Then she turned and scooped up the runaway child and gently carried her off to bed humming and cooing the whole way.

Leonard rounded the corner when a voice on the news channel stopped him. The announcer was talking about Jim Kirk. As McCoy entered the living room he watched the streaming data at the bottom of the screen as it flashed bits of info about the live videoconference. The president of the Federation was talking about the Orion syndicate and how their despicable acts against the crew of the Enterprise was deplorable and despicable.

Leonard thought a few colorful adjectives of his own as he read the headlines.

CAPTAIN KIRK PROMOTED TO ADMIRAL AND APPOINTED HEAD OF STARFLEET OPERATIONS.

'Well I'll be damned.' He thought to himself.

ENTERPRISE NAMED FLAGSHIP IN FIGHT AGAINST TERROR

McCoy wondered who would be appointed captain.

The President gestured to someone beside the podium and Admiral Kirk rose and moved to the microphone. McCoy was shocked at what he saw.

It looked as if Jim had lost 10 pounds and despite the press conference make-up he was positively haggard looking. He moved stiffly to the microphone.

"Gentlemen, I accept this great honor with humility. I promise you that I will do everything in my power to bring back the security and piece of mind that the Federation has enjoyed for so long. I have already selected a staff of the galaxy's finest security agents. Together we will weave a web of peace that will restore balance to the Federation. Let me tell you, what was once a small two-bit parts smuggling ring has grown to a great festering wound in our society. The Orion syndicate didn't just hurt my crew, they hurt every member of Starfleet, every free person in the Federation. They struck at the heart of our belief in what is sacred and secure. They tried to tear down our very society when they attempted to kidnap our President. They tried... and they failed. They do not understand what they have done, but they will. The Federation has brokered peace on countless worlds. We are a union of peaceful people and we welcome the universe into our brotherhood. But we will not tolerate terror. We have tried diplomacy, but the Orion syndicate is unwilling to enter into civilized discussion. We have tried posturing, but they do not understand our might. I tell you now they will understand it. I will make it my mission to find every member of the Orion syndicate and bring them to justice for what they have done. Not just for Commanders Spock and Chapel, but for all the victims of the syndicate. For the children on the Mars colony who last year suffered from the tainted vaccines that the syndicate sold their parents. For the hundreds of Orion slaves that still know only terror at the hands of their masters. For the thousands of men, women and children who have simply disappeared for not paying their 'dues' to the syndicate. I promise you I will bring them to justice and restore peace to the Federation."

McCoy shook his head sadly, "I hope you know what you're doing, Jim." And turned off the video feed and walked away to read his letter.