Thank you to everybody who read or reviewed the last conversation.
You are all fabulous. Your words of encouragement keep me in the happy writing zone.
Please remember that this letter was written about two weeks before our video conference in the last chapter. It takes a while for emails to reach deep space.
Day 228: Delayed Greetings from London
From: W_Kirk_wellness_Hills
To: Spock' s_cuddlebunny
Time arrived: 10/08/2260 00:00:01
Subject: Greetings from London
Hey sweetie, I'm sure by now you know I'm in London. That's why I didn't write to you when I first got your letter. Because of your brother being preyed upon by somebody who is your age before he was 18, I will be in London living with Nhi until her friends Rebecca and Carol get here at the very least and considering they're on your ship that might be a while.
London is a great city. I love the history of it all. I almost considered going to the London campus instead of San Francisco, but if I did that, I would've never met your father. So, things worked out the way they were supposed to.
Unfortunately, this is not a vacation. I'm working on a special project for Ming. A project that's headache-inducing, and I really can't talk about on unsecured communications. Don't worry, I still haven't picked up another drink, although I am resisting the urge to punch somebody. Carol's father had a few friends here that were dirty as fuck, especially those connected to the Kelvin Memorial research center or whatever cover name they gave to their super-secret operation.
I am fucking furious that Marcus used George's name to cover up his activities. The engineering department at the London campus is neck-deep in this shit. I am here to get it back to its real purpose and get all the spy bullshit to where it's supposed to be. As I mentioned earlier, I have a headache, and this is just scratching the surface of how messed up all of this is.
I'm so sorry about what your grandmother did to you. I had no idea Grandma Kirk was that petty to you, but considering how petty she was to me, I'm not surprised. There's a reason why we don't speak to that side of the family and not just because the courts gave us the farmhouse. They are not the best people.
I have heard from their lawyers recently. Not your Grandma's lawyer specifically because she's dead, but you know the Kirk family contingent. They're pissed about us selling the farmhouse to build a museum dedicated to your father. Of course, they're not suing to stop the sale, but they want half the money from it. Because you know it's not about the house, it's about the money, it's always about the money.
Also, one of your cousins or something is writing a book about you despite the fact they haven't seen you since you were six. A few of the others were doing the talk show circuit after the battle of Vulcan, again people that haven't seen you since you were six... I hope they never find out about Peter. I don't want these people anywhere near him.
I'm sorry I screwed up a lot when you were a kid. I know you're going to do better. First, your kid will go to you for help. Yes, it's a computer thing, but he still is coming to you when he needs something. Maybe if he comes for you for the computer stuff, he'll come to you for the important things too. At least you know for sure that your husband is not a molesting abusive asshole. (I am considering the entire bridge incident consensual kink play and let us never speak of it again.)
I know that you will make sure Peter is aware that he isn't just a sub for Sam and that you really do care about him. I'm sorry that I sometimes made you feel like a George replacement. I really should've gone into therapy earlier. I didn't handle losing my husband well at all. Tarsus was just an all-around cluster fuck, and I couldn't avoid going into treatment. My treatment plan didn't work as well as it could have because I didn't start digging deep into my issues until this last round.
I'm trying my best to get healthy and stay healthy. I'm even running and eating better. Being out of Iowa is helping immensely. London is helping more than San Francisco did because there's no George at all here. I am free to start something new.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed San Francisco. I have a lot of friends there, but there are moments when I get sad and the house search is not going anywhere as well as I thought it would. Things are more affordable than they were during the tech boom of the early 21st-century, but it's a seller's market right now, especially with everything that got destroyed during the Vengeance incident last year. Also, I don't want Starfleet housing because I like staying an independent contractor. I don't want to end up being assigned somewhere horrible. I have more control this way.
Of course, when your son is dating the daughter of the head of Starfleet, you're friends with her, or you get talked into doing something that you wouldn't normally do like fixing the London cluster fuck. I don't even know where all the bodies are buried yet. I can't tell you more because Carol's father was a fucking asshole, and I had to get a new security clearance just to deal with all this bull shit. Your email system isn't secure enough, no system is.
Thank you for all the pictures. I'm glad to see you smiling. I'm still worried that this is going to bring a lot of stuff back up for you, but you're dealing with it well. Kudos for spending quality time with your therapist. See another way you're doing much better than I did. Anyway, more pictures attached from London. Your other mother figure threw upon another member of the Admiralty.
If I am not sending your husband embarrassing baby pictures, I'm not doing my job as your mother. I neglected many of my motherly responsibilities previously, but I am trying to make up for that now. That means embarrassing the hell out of you. I found a few more pictures of you in your Captain Marvel costume. You made an excellent Carrol.
XXXX
From: Spock's_cuddlebunny
To: W_Kirk_wellness_Hills
Time sent: 10/08/2260 12:23:01
Subject: Re: Greetings from London
I did make an excellent Carol Danvers. Yes, I found the pictures adorable, and yes, I found it embarrassing. Good thing you waited until after we were married. Yes, you're making good on that embarrassing mom stuff. Could you maybe focus on Kevin for a bit? Of course, Liz knows all of Kevin's dirty little secrets like Chrissy, but still, there must be something that you can embarrass him with.
I'm not surprised the Kirk contingent wants the money from the house. I guess they're still furious that the house was given to Dad in the first place as if George didn't leave Starfleet for a year to take care of his dying father, where the others just did whatever the fuck they wanted. Apparently, there's a long tradition of backstabbing and money-grabbing on that side of the family.
Personally, I see it all as blood money, and I'm OK not seeing any of it. I'm sure you feel similarly because you could break into the Tarsus settlement money and afford a lovely house near Starfleet, but you won't. However, I'm sure we both believe that Peter deserves a significant trust fund. So, may I suggest calling Shawn, the lawyer god, to have his team take care of it. They're already handling some litigation for us concerning the various tell-all books that are being written by very distant relatives as well as the sex toy line. That was just disturbing. I do not want my face on that, and I'm sure you feel similarly.
It was great to talk to you in person. You seemed lighter than last time. I know the whole thing was awkward, but we got better at the end. Although if Peter sends you a list of questions later today as agreed upon, you don't have to answer. I can take care of it. I am starting to tell him more Sam stories myself. He wants one every night before he goes to sleep, and I'm getting better at telling them. It hurts, though. Margarita says the best way to process is to tell stories and focus on the good as much as possible. That's what I'm trying to do. It doesn't always go as well as it should, but I'm trying, mom.
Peter is coming to me for more than just computer help, so that's good. I'm also being asked for advice on how to get his new classmates to like him. I told him that you can't make people like you. You just need to be yourself, and if they don't want you, then they're the ones with the problem. We'll see how that goes. Although yesterday's ice cream social did not end in tears. More importantly, none of the new kids have tried to break into engineering for booze yet, so I consider that a positive.
I don't want to know what you're investigating in London, but I'm sure I will. We're all aware that Carol's father was shady as fuck, so it's probably nothing good, and I'm sure you're going to find more co-conspirators in the grand conspiracy of the Federation. Oh yes, let's just throw us into war with the Klingons. Fucking asshole. I should probably schedule another session with Margarita. It's easier now with the second therapist on board.
Yes, we need so many therapists. The entire ship has issues. If they were here during the San Francisco incident, they went for the battle Vulcan too. I am sure the new crewmembers will have their own scars from the last few years. Thankfully, I like the new therapist, and I like Lieutenant Commander Reyes. She said that she's happy to let Spock spend time in the lab whenever he wants. So, this is already going to go better than Carol's tenure as chief science officer.
Carol and Rebecca are on their way to London. We had a goodbye party and everything. I'm going to miss Rebecca, but I think Nhi is going to need her more. She also promised to send me tons of baby stuff and to keep me totally updated on everything going on, so I'm kind of happy that she's going to be there.
Have you thought about maybe permanently relocating to London? You know, after your treatment in San Francisco is wrapped up? Right now, you have your support system, but your support system will be leaving soon. Kevin will be doing his semester in space sooner rather than later, and Ben will be going to Yorktown. I'm sure baby D will be going along because Sue was trying to get stationed there anyway. Just think about it. I just want you to be someplace where you can be happy and healthy and getting out of Iowa was the first step. Maybe moving somewhere completely fresh is the next.
Don't be so hard on yourself. Frank was always showing you his best face. Once you knew how bad it was, you left. Sometimes that's all you can do. I worked through all my complicated feelings about that a long time ago. I don't hold it against you. I don't think I ever did.
Anyway, I can't wait to hear from you again, and thank you so much for the care package. The real Oreo cookies were much appreciated. Peter loves the sheets that you sent. Also, tell Nhi that he loves the blanket and the posters. They're already hanging up in his room. Also, thank you for all the food you sent along. The hubby put it away so we wouldn't eat everything in the first week, but it's all appreciated.
Anyway, we are on our way to two months of serving a volcanic planet. This is going to be so much fun.
Fingers crossed nobody breaks the prime directive again, including me.
PS: Why does Nhi call you Winnie? I need to know.
Xxxxx
From: Peter_K
To: Kevin KR; Elizabeth_Chen; W_Kirk_wellness_Hills
Time sent: 10/08/2260 00:00:01
Subject: thank you for the care package
Thank you all for your various care packages. I'm just starting to read some of the comic book chips with a bag of cheese Krispies. Also, I'm glad that I have non-Starfleet gear for my bedroom now. I wasn't able to take that much from the colony because of possible contamination. Actually, I didn't have that much at the colony to begin with. A lot of our stuff was in storage on Earth. I wonder what happened to it?
Jim has been telling me more stories about my dad as a kid. I'm thankful for that. Although nothing from what Jim refers to as the dark period. Grandma, I assume this was when you were married to your ex-husband? I want to ask why he was such a bad person, but Ashley 2 told me it's best not to ask that question. She says I'm not ready for the answer. My grandparents murdered my aunt. What can be more traumatic than that?
We had a family session about that. We are going to have a few more family sessions about that. Also, Dr. Margarita is helping me put my list of questions together. Right now, I just want to know the little things. The heavy stuff can wait for later.
This is what I have so far:
Where was my dad born, and where did he grow up? I know he wasn't actually born in Iowa that you moved there later after grandpa George died.
What was his favorite TV show/movie growing up?
What were his favorite books? I'm including comic books in this as well. They just had better artwork then non-graphic novels.
Did he have any hobbies? Was he into things like Legos? I love Legos. I had a few sets that we had to leave on Earth. Unfortunately, Starfleet mart did not have any Legos sets. Thankfully Josephine lets me use hers. Did he like to paint or draw? Was he a creative person at all?
How did Sam meet my mom? Also, how long were they together? Did they really love each other, and if that was the case, why did they break up?
I guess this is it for now. Again, I will save the heavier stuff for another time.
Also, Kevin and Liz, I'm so sorry I didn't get to see you again, but please keep writing. I'm enjoying the letters.
Also, to let you know, the ice cream social went well, and the new classmates do not appear to be evil. Fingers crossed it stays that way.
To be continued