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“Captain’s personal log, stardate 2287.265. It is very fortunate that today was a slow day, after the excitement of last week. We’re currently en-route to Birika to to help our sister vessels in the relief efforts. I hope that the Romulans will uphold the treaty between the Federation and the Romulan Empire signed almost five years ago. I only hope for the best in this type of situation. I’ll have to remember to ask my parents for their advice. For now, I’ll mediate. We still have 94.356 hours before we arrive at our destination. Kirk out.”
Mandy turned away from the computer, unconsciously pulling a strand of black hair behind her right ear, exposing the point of it to the warm air in the captain’s quarters. She had gotten most of her work done, with the remaining work easy enough to finish before her shift tomorrow. She looked at her husband, who was ready for their nightly ritual. Suran sat cross-legged on their mat, arms relaxed on either side of his body. Once Mandy had removed the black elbow-length gloves from her hands, he held out his own to her. Once accepted, the Vulcan pulled the hybrid to his chest, holding her in his lap. Once they were back to chest, Mandy rolled her head to the side until her nose was pressed against Suran’s cheek. “And hello to you too, husband,” she murmured against the skin of this jaw.“Good evening, ashaya,” Suran replied, allowing the corner of his mouth to tilt up in a small smile.Mandy didn’t have to see his face to know he was grinning, feeling his contentment not only though their mating bond, but through the buzz under their skin. “Ready?” Suran hummed, wrapping one arm securely around her waist while the other reaches her face, finding the familiar psi-points. Mandy mirrored him, hand finding his face while the other laced their fingers together on her waist. “My mind to your mind,” they said together, “my thoughts to your thoughts. Etek nam-tor veh.” They sank into their shared mindspace, helping the other relax after such a long day.Amanda barely managed to hold back a sigh of boredom. With no paperwork to keep her occupied, there was nothing of any importance to do on the bridge of the Kelvin . “Do you think I can get away with visiting the daycare for a little bit? ” she asked Suran.A moment’s pause. “I would advise for no more than an hour.”“Love you.” Amanda stood from her chair, catching the attention of her XO. “Sulu, you have the―” She was cut off as the ship was rocked by an unknown source. “Lieutenant Tigan, what’s our status?” Kirk yelled once she got her bearings back, grip so tight on her chair that she accidentally left indentations on the armrests.Science officer Tigan was no better off, having been thrown from her chair a good five feet. “It appears we have come across a black hole,” she reported once the Trill was able to return to her station.Kirk blanched. “Lieutenant Li, get us away from here!”It was dead silent for a few moments as the navigator tried his hardest. “It’s no use, Captain. The gravitational field has a steady grip on us,” the Andorian replied.“Suran, open ship-wide communications,” Kirk ordered, dragging herself into her chair and initializing the emergency seatbelt. She sensed when Suran had opened the channel, engaging the red-alert before beginning. “This is your Captain speaking. We are currently experiencing turbulence from an undetermined location. I have initiated red-alert, so everyone to your stations. All families must remain where they are, in battle-ready positions. Kirk out.” Once the communication ended, the Captain ordered that everyone engage their belts. “We must be prepared in case this black hole brings us somewhere unfriendly. Brace for impact!” Kirk ordered, watching as their ship was engulfed into the unknown that was before them.It felt as though barely a second had passed before the Kelvin was dropped into another part of the galaxy... or an unknown star system... or another world entirely.Mandy blinked. She recognized this area of space. It appeared that the black hole deposited them a few days from the former Federation-Klingon border. “Li, check that we are indeed near the Neutral Zone. Everyone else, check the statuses of your departments. Suran, check the Federation frequencies to determine whether or not we are still in our world.”There were a chorus of “aye, captain!”s (and Suran nodding his head) before the Kelvin ’s bridge fell quiet once more. Mandy ran through different scenarios that could occur if they were in an alternate reality. There were most likely many variations of the world she knew, so she was unsure of which would be the most likely they could be in. She remembered stories from Serik (or her father’s older counterpart) about how his Joan once travelled to a ‘mirror universe’ where the Terrans were an empire instead of a federation. She recoiled at the thought immediately. “ I only hope we are in Serik’s original timeline and not in a mirror one ,” she told Suran. “Status report,” she said out loud.“Reports of minor injuries and damage to the hull, Captain,” Lieutenant Commander Amihl stated. “Engineering reports of damage to the warp core. Without assistance, they estimate that it will take a week to full repairs.”Mandy cursed under her breath. “Thank you. I want you to delegate resources and men, Amihl.”“Yes, sir!” In that instant, the Klingon stood from his post and hurried off the bridge.“Tigan, report to engineering with at least three of your people to see if you can assist. Contact the bridge when you have news.”“Of course, Captain.”Just as Tigan was about to rise, the ship’s red-alert, which had been switched to silent mode once they had exited the black hole, rang out once more. “Li, please tell me that’s a good ringing in my ears,” Kirk said, causing a few of the Alpha shift to chuckle. Their captain always knew how to find something funny even in a bad situation.“It appears to be a Federation ship,” Li informed them before gasping in surprise, turning to Kirk. “It’s the Enterprise , sir.”“Impossible,” Mandy said, “the Enterprise was en-route to the Shinar conferences with my grandparents. Their journey places them nowhere near here.”“I’m only telling you what’s on the monitor, sir,” Li said.Mandy closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “ Breathe ,” Suran said, sending a wave of serenity to his wife. Mandy nodded, opening her eyes a few seconds later. “On screen.”A moment later, Mandy’s childhood home appeared on the screen. “ Impossible ,” Mandy thought. “Captain,” Suran called out, managing to pull her out of her own head, “we are being hailed.”“Onscreen,” Mandy immediately replied, unconsciously straightening up in her chair.While the appearance of the Enterprise was a shock, nothing could have prepared her for what appeared on the screen. Instead of her mother, a man who could have passed as her twin brother was before her. His hair was slightly darker than hers, and he appeared to be younger as well, most likely 25 or 26 years old. As his eyes were the same blue hue, Mandy took a guess that a Nero had also affected this timeline. “This is Captain James T. Kirk of the USS Enterprise . You are an unregistered ship in neutral space. State your business.”Mandy’s lips quirked. Different gender, yet still the same person at the core of it all. “Would you believe me when I tell you that my ship was pulled into a black hole, deposited here, and that we are from another reality?” Pause. “Also, I’m your daughter from a world where you were born Joan instead of James?”James’ expression morphed into that of shock, eyes wider than a constitution-class saucer. “Bullshit,” he breathed out.Mandy shrugged, grinning like the cat that got the cream. “I have no way of proving it without your First telling you that ‘she could have looked it up in the database’ or ‘they could have hacked our systems with their technology’ or whatever,” she said, mimicking her father.James laughed. “Sounds about right.” He stared at his supposed progeny. Mandy calmly stared back. Her mother had many secrets that only Father, her grandparents and herself knew. She was curious to see if he would use any similar ones to determine if she was telling the truth about her origins. “Tell me something she-I-your mother did,” he said.Mandy pursed her lips. What to choose? The choice was made for her when she saw Uncle Bones move in the corner of the video, standing next to Father. She smirked. “I have a little brother that Mom named Leonard in order to spite Uncle Bones for all the years of stabbing her with a hypospray too harshly.”Dead silence. Then James began laughing uncontrollably, soon falling off his chair and out of sight. Mandy smirked at his reaction, as well as the others on the Enterprise’s bridge who were trying (and failing) to hold back their own mirth. “Knew you would like that,” she said to the empty chair, “but I can also come over and have Uncle Bones do a DNA test in order to confirm what I’m saying. What time should I head over?”It took 4.675 minutes for James to get his breathing under control, hauling himself back into command chair. “Be here within the hour,” he wheezed out.“Aye aye, mon capitan,” Mandy said, “Kirk out.” They were still smiling at each other when Suran cut the feed. The Kelvin ’s captain huffed out a laugh. “Figures. Sulu,” she said as she stood, “you have the conn. Suran, I’m assuming that you’re with me.” Her best friend and her husband nodded, Ronnie taking the command chair while Mandy and Suran entered the turbolift. “Deck 11,” Mandy said. It was silent physically, but in their bond, it was the complete opposite. " Don’t worry. I promise I won’t say anything too revealing,” Mandy told her bondmate.“I am only worried for your well-being. It did not appear that your parents are yet together in this reality, ” Suran told her, allowing himself to brush his fingertips against her cheek.Mandy smiled sadly. “I had noticed that as well. A world without me. A world where you know peace. ”“I only knew of peace when I met you .”“You flatterer, you .”They separated before they reached their destination, but remained close as they entered the transporter room. “I hope these are still in working order,” she joked to the attending transporter tech.The young woman smiled at her Captain. “Barely a nick to ‘em, sir,” she said.“Good.” Mandy and Suran stood on the platform. “How does my hair look ?” Mandy asked.“You look as lovely as you always do ,” Suran replied, subtly brushing their fingers together. Though she was wearing her gloves, Mandy could feel the warmth of his affection anyway. “Ensign, prepare for two to beam over. Standby in case of emergency beam-back,” Captain Kirk ordered.“Ready, sir,” Ensign Darcy said, initiating transporter sequences. The room before them changed from the Kelvin-A to the Enterprise , a ship that Mandy had not seen since it was decommissioned in 2273 for the wave of upgrades. The Enterprise-A was home, of course, but it didn’t have the same feeling as the original did. It was the place of her birth, where Mother and Father fell in love and accidentally created one of the best things that happened to either of them. It was where Leo was born, where all their best memories were made. Her Vulcan logic told her that it was only a finite object, that the memories were infinite, but this ship and all its incarnations will always have a special place in her heart.Once they had finished materializing, Mandy scanned the room quickly. It seemed Uncle Scotty was the one to guarantee their safe arrival. Made sense. It would have either been him, Uncle Pavel or Aunt Jaylah. James, Father and Uncle Bones stood before them. Mandy continued to scan the room before her eyes landed on a spot just to the left of her. Suran had already stepped down from the platform, waiting for his Captain to follow. When she didn’t, he gave her a questioning look. They had not met until after the Enterprise -A was already in use, so he had never gotten a chance to see the original. “Sorry,” Mandy said to the room in general, feeling Suran’s curiosity, “I’m used to there being a dent there.”James chuckled, stepping forward. “Do I wanna know why?”Mandy smiled, finally joining her husband. “Let’s just say child genius plus fire plus an ability to crawl through the ship undetected is a natural recipe for disaster.” She held a hand out towards her... mother-like person. “Amanda Christine Kirk, captain of the USS Kelvin-A . Nice to meet you!”James took her hand, taking a passing glance at his “distant” relative. “Nice uniform,” he noted, taking stock of the Starfleet’s upgraded outfit. Her’s was a deep yellow, almost gold, uniform shirt with a black collar. She also wore a black belt, and gray slacks with the same gold running down the sides of the pant legs. Her companion’s outfit was similar, with the exception that his was maroon.Mandy looked down. “Yeah, they’re pretty comfy. I still like the classics though,” she said, letting go of his hand.James could not help but continue to smile. “Welcome aboard the Enterprise Captain Kirk and...”“Suran, sir,” the Vulcan introduced himself, greeting him with a ta’al.James struggled for a moment to try and reciprocate the hand gesture before Mandy took pity on him. She manipulated his hand until his muscles were strained in the proper position. It was only just now that James noticed that Amanda was wearing black gloves. “Ow,” he complained once she let go. Amanda rolled her eyes, raising her hand in a ta’al as easily as any Vulcan. James huffed, letting his cramping hand drop. “You’re teaching me how to do that before you leave.”“Ok,” Mandy acquiesced with a shrug. “So, do I get stabbed now or later?”The other Kirk hummed. “How about a walk-around, then the torture?” he proposed.Mandy clapped her hands together. “Perfect!”The two Captains exited the transporter room first (after Mandy smiled and waved to her Uncle Scotty), with Suran, Father and Uncle Bones trailing silently behind them. “How old are you?” James asked as they leisurely strolled through the Enterprise ’s halls.“I just turned 27 a few months ago, just before celebrating my first year as captain,” Amanda said, unconsciously mimicking her father and walking with her hands clasped behind her back. It didn’t go unnoticed by any of the men, but they decided not to comment on it. All but her own assumed that this was due to growing up around the half-Vulcan. “How old are you?”“26,” James answered.Amanda nodded. “Thought so. You still hold the record of being the youngest captain promoted in the ‘Fleet, yes?”“Mhmm,” James hummed. “Did I manage to keep my record where you are?”“Yup,” Amanda confirmed, popping the ‘p’. “Mom is still the youngest, while I hold the record of being the second youngest. I’m happy with it that way, though. Like I assume happened to you, I was often compared with my parents. No skin off my back, though. I never wanted to be exactly like my parents, and they pushed me to do what I wanted to do.”James mulled over that. They walked in silence for a few moments, Amanda taking in the sights of a familiar place in an unfamiliar time. “So, the Kelvin ?” James asked.Amanda huffed out a breath. “I was wondering how long it would take you,” she said, nodding her head towards the door of the lift. “How about I do the DNA thing, and then we can talk about that over dinner? If my memory and my calculations are right, word about my existence will be fully spread around the ship within the half hour. If we eat in the mess hall, people can look and gossip, and we can compare different things that are in my power to say.”James nodded, stopping in front of the turbolift. “So it’s safe to assume you aren’t gonna tell me who your dad is?” He looked slightly dejected.Amanda sighed. “We’ll talk about it later, ok? Your shift should finish by the time Uncle Bones is done keeling over.”The Enterprise ’s captain laughed, the mood brightening immediately. “I’ll hold you to that.” He stepped aside, allowing Bones, Suran and Amanda to enter the turbolift while Spock stood at his side. “See you,” he murmured,“See you soon,” Amanda respond as the doors closed. “Deck five,” she instructed the computer.It was silent as the lift took them to the right floor. Amanda and Suran allowed Bones to exit the lift first, trailing behind the CMO. Uncle Bones made a beeline to his office, raising an eyebrow at the two as if daring them to defy his unspoken order like Kirk and Spock constantly do. Amanda smiled but complied, Suran following right behind her. Uncle Bones turned on the privacy protocol for his office, securing the door behind him before taking a seat. Before he could speak, Amanda interrupted him. “Before you do anything, I need to tell you something very important, and you’re gonna want to get a drink prepared before I tell you.”Her uncle gave her a hard look. “I think I can handle it, dear,” he spoke softly, that tone of voice reminding Amanda off all the scrapes and bruises Uncle Bones fixed over the years, never angry at all the creative ways she managed to hurt herself. Sighing, she lifted her hair with one hand, revealing her pointed ears. Bones’ eyes bulged in shock for a moment. “I may need that drink if you’re about to tell me that Spock isn’t your dad.”Amanda smiled, letting her hair drop. “Sorry, uncle, but looks like you’re going sober tonight.”“At least he’s happy in one universe,” Uncle Bones mumbled under his breath, forgetting that the other occupants of the room both had excellent hearing.“James is in love with Spock, isn’t he?” Suran asked, reaching for Amanda’s gloved hand and enveloping it in a comforting hold.The doctor nodded. “It’s been driving me crazy for months that he won’t say anything, now that―” He cut himself off. “Maybe you could talk to him?”Amanda sighed at this dilemma. “I will need to think on it. It will at least be two days before we can recreate the black hole to travel home.”“That’s all I’m asking, darlin’,” Uncle Bones said, standing up to grab a tricorder. “Calibrate this for me, will you?”The young woman smiled, taking the device from her uncle’s hand and letting go of Suran’s in order to fulfill her uncle’s request. “Here,” she said 5.134 minutes later.Uncle Bones grunted his thanks, running the tricorder over Amanda. The hybrid sat perfectly still, knowing that was how the doctor preferred his patients when running tests. It took less than ten minutes for the PADD to beep once Bones had input the information gathered by the tricorder. “It’s confirmed: you are related to Jim Kirk on the offspring level.”“Told ya,” Amanda said smugly, leaning back in her chair. She had returned her hand to Suran’s once the tests were over, rubbing the back of his hand unconsciously.Bones rolled his eyes. “Walks like a Kirk, sounds like a Kirk, bound to be a menace like a Kirk.”“Of course. How else can you tell us apart except for our levels of menace, as shown in the movie Lilo and Stitch ?”“Don’t tempt me,” Uncle Bones said, pointing a finger at her.Amanda gave him an innocent-looking smile that would only fool those who did not know of the intelligence behind that expression.Amanda and Suran spent the rest of the time in the CMO’s office while Uncle Bones went to check on some patients. “I wish Serik were here. I could ask him for advice,” Amanda confessed, playing with Suran’s fingers. They had moved to the couch next to McCoy’s desk, the hybrid leaning heavily against the Vulcan.“Perhaps your uncle could contact the one that lives here. As you stated earlier, Nero most likely affected this timeline just like he did ours. If there is a Nero, there is a Spock Prime,” Suran told her.She sighed. “Possibly. I don’t want anything to be traced by James, though. If he really is another version of my mother, he will no doubt try to hack into the medical files in order to find out as much as he can about me. He’s probably doing it right now.”The two continued to silently contemplate their options when Uncle Bones returned to his office, huffing at the pair. “Alpha shift just finished,” he told them.“I know,” Amanda stated, “we were just waiting for you to finish with your patients so we could all walk together.”“Gimme a minute then we can head over,” the doctor said, needed to finish a few things up before dinner. Amanda nodded, resting her head on her husband’s shoulder. Her hazel eyes closed, deciding now would be a good time to reach out to the ship’s inhabitants and let their emotions flow within her. Her mind immediately sought out James, the closest proxy to the woman who raised her. He seemed melancholy, longing for something that he didn’t think he could have. It took everything in her not to reach out for her father’s double. He might sense an intruder, and Amanda did not wish to risk him finding out before determining her influence in this timeline. She did some cursory glances through familiar-enough people: Aunt Nyota, Uncle Hikaru, Uncle Pavel, Uncle Scotty... she continued this until she touched a mind she had not felt for years. Not since his passing eleven years ago.Amanda sat up with a gasp, startling Uncle Bones. Suran placed a comforting hand on the skin of her neck, giving her the grounding she so desperately needed. “Serik,” she breathed. Amanda turned to her uncle’s shocked form. “Spock Prime is here,” she clarified, stating it as fact more so than asking.Uncle Bones nodded. “He and a few other diplomats are on board to join the Babel conference. Sarek is on board too.”Amanda nodded. “This may change things. I don’t know how, but it will.”
Twenty minutes later, Amanda had calmed enough to enter the crowded dining hall. As soon as she and Suran entered with Uncle Bones, it fell dead silent. At least two hundred pairs of eyes were staring at her in fascination, confusion and a small amount of fear. Amanda sighed internally, immediately heading to the table James was seated. "
I’m not hungry
,” she told Suran.
"I will get you some plomeek soup
,” Suran replied, his tone brokering no argument.
Amanda arrived at the table, a small smile gracing her lips at all the familiar faces seated there. James, Father and Aunt Nyota sat on one side, with Uncle Scotty at one head of the table, with Uncles Hikaru and Pavel sitting directly opposite of Father and Aunt Nyota. They looked like something straight out of a holo-image of her childhood. Amanda hesitated a moment before sitting across from James, leaving the other head spot for Suran.
The moment she sat, conversation returned slowly but surely to the mess. Amanda sat quietly, staring at the table as she processed the different shift of emotions. To the untrained eyes, it looked like she was uncomfortable with all the attention, and that was, in a way, true. Once Suran had returned with two bowls of plomeek soup, Amanda allowed her head to rise, smiling in greeting to him. He nodded, sitting after setting out Amanda’s serving. “Thanks, Suran,” she said, stirring the hot soup to help accelerate the cooling process.
“What’s that?” James asked, swallowing a bit of his burger.
“Plomeek soup,” Spock said, his voice soft as he looked at the liquid.
Amanda gulped. She had forgotten that Uncle Bones mentioned Vulcan’s total destruction. “Yeah, it helps when I have an upset stomach. About the only thing I can handle.”
“I have heard that it iz wery bland,” Uncle Pavel piped up.
The young woman smiled. “It is, but that’s what makes it appealing. There is also a spicy variation that helps during the longer shifts.”
“There are very few humans who can appreciate the dish,” Spock said, staring intently at Amanda.
She looked down very quickly, hoping that her face wouldn’t give away anything. “I guess I’m like my namesake. Willing to try anything at least once.”
“Who are you named after?” James innocently asked.
Amanda bit her lip, looking at Spock. “Amanda Grayson,” she said, watching his reaction. His face was characteristically blank, but Amanda could feel his barely-controlled grief.
“Who?” Uncle Pavel also innocently queried.
“My mother.”
Silence fell across the table after Spock spoke. Amanda tried to salvage this. “I’m also named after Christopher Pike. Chris. Christine. Get it?”
James chuckled. “Bet the old man got a kick out of that.”
Amanda took a deep breath, her own grief threatening to spill over. “He did. Thought it was hilarious that he was given the honor of being my grandfather-figure.”
“Figures,” James mumbles, finishing his hamburger. “So, do I have to wait to hear about the
Kelvin
naming or what?”
Amanda stirred her soup for a moment longer, taking a few sips. “I’ve been told that a Nero also attacked this time. It makes you wonder if there are compassionate versions of him somewhere out in the multiverse,” she mused. “Anyway, after the tenth anniversary of that day, the Federation unveiled a new fleet of ships named after the ones lost to the
Narada
’s wrath. Many higher-ups in Starfleet already knew of my interest to join Starfleet since I was a child, so they decided to wait in order to construct the
Kelvin
once I was given my own commission. I’m not worried about telling you this, since it will most likely happen here as well.”
“How old are ya?” Uncle Scotty asked.
“27,” Amanda and James responded, laughing when they noticed the other saying the same thing.
“You are older than most everyone here!” Uncle Pavel said.
“Except a few of you, yup. It’s weird being older than your family that lives in an alternate reality.”
“What else can you tell us?” Aunt Nyota asked, eyes alight with her signature curiosity.
Amanda thought about it for a minute. “I could share a few stories without disrupting the natural flow of things. Suran?” He nodded, the memories that first came to mind getting the ok. “You asked me earlier why there was a dent in the transporter room. Well...” She regaled them with a few choice stories of growing up on a constitution-class vessel. The aforementioned Transporter Room Incident, The Archer Affair (where a 2 year old Mandy continuously made faces at Admiral Archer while he was speaking with her mother, much to the delight of the admiral), and the Engineering Escapade (when Mandy had to go through the bowels of the
Enterprise
in order to help Keenser with critical repairs). “Mom was none too pleased when I got out of that conduit, but I fortunately got away with a three-month grounding and a quite literal grounding with a... family friend,” Amanda concluded. She couldn’t mention that this was the event that sparked her stay on Vulcan with her grandparents, leading her to the discovery of many of her capabilities.
“How old were you?!” Uncle Hikaru sounded scandalized.
Oh, if only he knew
, Amanda thought. “I was nine. Again, kid genius with way too much time on her hands normally ends in disaster.”
“If you were my kid, I would have done much worse than a literal grounding,” Aunt Nyota mentioned.
“Oh, I don’t doubt that. Auntie is one of the few people in the universe I’m actually terrified of pissing off. Gods help the poor fool that faces the combined wrath of Kirk and Uhura. You think I was a menace? Mom and Aunt Nyota practically burned down the Academy back then.”
Aunt Nyota’s eyes narrowed at that. “What do you mean?”
Amanda’s eyes widened at that slip, hazel eyes darting to the other woman. “
t wouldn’t hurt too much to mention this, right
?”
"That is part of a past they cannot alter, ashaya. You are fine,
” Suran assured her, studying a data pad he had picked up from Gods knows where after he retrieved two glasses of water for Amanda.
The hybrid bit her lower lip. “Mom and Aunt Nyota were roommates at the Academy.”
“What?!” Aunt Nyota shrieked, drawing the attention of everyone left in the mess hall. She cleared her throat. “Playboy Kirk, my roommate?!”
Amanda shrugged. “So? There’s nothing wrong with exploring your sexuality as long as you’re safe. I had that policy with my XO when we were roommates the first year at the Academy. Being labeled a ‘playboy’, no matter the context, seems a bit outdated in a post-World War III era. It was always something Mom was never afraid to talk about with me. As long as it isn’t done during states of questionable consent, and also while wearing proper protection, sex is a biological funhouse.” Everyone except Uncle Bones and Suran were staring at her. “You also have to understand my point of view on this. My mother was labeled a slut simply because she enjoyed having sex, and it still lingers to this day. I remember when Mom was pregnant with Leo, there were so many rumors that the baby was from an affair she had. It didn’t strain her relationship with my father, but it did impact me. When I went to the Academy, rumors flew before I even took my first steps on the campus as an official Cadet. It will most likely follow my marriage as well.”
“You are married?” Uncle Pavel asked. Amanda nodded. “To who?”
“Suran.”
Amanda couldn’t have timed it more perfectly even if she’d tried. James was taking a drink of water when she said this, the unexpectedness of it causing him to choke and spit out the water in his mouth. He leaned to the side, coughing violently. Amanda covered her smile, trying to hold in her laughter. “Uncle Bones?” she managed to get out around the giggles. The doctor finally looked up from his feast to see his best friend choking. He huffed, standing up and walking behind the man, hitting his back to help clear out his airways. Once the coughing died down did James sit up straight again, both hands covering his mouth and nose. Amanda handed him a napkin, allowing herself to laugh quietly now what he was able to breathe again. “Come again?” James asked once he found his voice.
“I am bonded to Suran,” Amanda confirmed. “We’ve been together since our first year at the Academy. Granted, he did propose after only a week of knowing me, but other than that, it’s been smooth sailing ever since.”
“Didn’t you have any troubles with the elders?” Spock asked, Nyota tilting his head in agreement with her question.
“Not really, no.” She couldn’t explain that her family history of marrying others of different species was explanation in and of itself. “His family... didn’t particularly like me. Let’s just say Mom embarrassed them and leave it at that. They tried to argue that the relationship was illogical, and they didn’t approve, yada yada yada. I let them get it out of their systems before I tore them apart.”
At that, Suran snorted, turning everyone’s heads in his direction. “That is an understatement if I have ever heard one.”
“Bite me,” Amanda replied.
“I believe your mother described it as the worst verbal slaughter she had ever had the pleasure of witnessing,” Suran added.
“How many times do I have to say it: go big or go home,” Amanda said with an exasperatedly fond smile.
“You will undoubtedly say it for the rest of our lives, as you have already repeated that exact quote 8,739 times.”
A pause.
“Only that many times? Gods, I’m losing my touch.”
Suran finally looked up from the PADD to stare at his wife. Amanda calmly stared back. They stared at each other for several long moments before Suran cracked a barely-there smile, returning his focus to his readings. “How did you get him to do that?” Nyota asked, amazed at the display that had just occurred.
Amanda turned back. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, I’ve never seen anything like that. Even when I was dating Spock, I never―”
Nyota was interrupted by Amanda, who choked on her own tongue at that. She quickly covered her mouth, trying to regain her composure. “What?”
“Spock and I dated,” Nyota cautiously repeated. Amanda continued to stare at her as if she had spontaneously begun to spit fire. A silence. “...did that not happen there?” Nyota asked.
Amanda shook her head in the negative, unable to fathom Father and Aunt Nyota together. “I think I would have remembered that,” she said. She felt slightly hysterical.
Suran, picking up on his wife’s change of mood, decided now was the time to intervene. “Captain.” No response. “
Amanda
.” That got her attention, her eyes wide with panic. “I believe it best we rest for the night. Captain Kirk will need to be functional in order to help with repairs. I apologize for not noticing the time sooner.”
“It’s fine, Suran. You were letting me have fun,” Amanda automatically responded, mind still on other things.
“Still,” Suran replied. He set the PADD down, standing up. “Shall we?” he asked, holding out an arm to her like he always did for their walks. That got his ashayam to crack a smile, latching on to his arm immediately. Once she stood, Suran led her from the room. “We will return by 1700 tomorrow. Have a good evening,” Suran said before making their final exit. He waited until they were far enough away before speaking. “Amanda?” he asked softly. He didn’t get a response.
Suran decided to wait until they were able to mediate before trying to bring Amanda out of her stupor. He managed to avoid most of the crew until they got to the turbolift. When it opened, Ambassador Spock stood before them. “I was wondering if I would be able to catch you before you left,” he remarked, moving over to allow them to enter. “Deck 8.”
“Would it be possible to talk tomorrow? She is not feeling well at the current moment,” Suran asked.
Serik took stock of the woman whose mind had touched his 4.019 hours ago. She looked sickeningly pale, as if she had been punched in the gut. He nodded. “Would you be amenable to visiting by quarters at 1530?” Suran nodded. “Miss Kirk will let you know where my quarters are. That is where she felt my presence earlier.”
“Thank you, Ambassador.” The lift doors opened. “Peace to you,” Suran said.
“Live long and prosper,” Serik replied. He watched as the young couple retreated. The protectiveness Suran had for the hybrid reminded him fondly of his own captain’s defensive nature. “Peace to you, youngling,” he murmured as the door closed on him.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
After the events of the day, Suran decided that it would be best to confront his wife the next morning after sleeping. Unlike their normal routine, Mandy had mediated alone. She claimed lightheadedness, but the Vulcan knew she was only trying to prevent him from feeling too many after-effects of her empathic nature. She had completely shut him off when she went to bed that night, barely able to identify their mating bond. Once he knew she was asleep, Suran ran a hand through her shoulder-length ebony hair. He watched her until his need for sleep could no longer be ignored. Pulling her into his arms, Suran ordered the computer to dim the lights, finally allowing himself the pleasure of feeling Amanda’s mind automatically reach out to his. This is how he fell asleep, curled around his mate.Amanda woke up in an empty but still warm bed. Hearing the showers running, she decided to join her husband. After undressing and throwing her clothes down the laundry shoot, she entered the bathroom. Suran’s back was turned to her, but Amanda did not doubt that he knew of her presence. She entered, wrapping her arms around his midsection and laying her head on his back. They stay like that for a few minutes before Suran turned in her hold. They stared at each other, hazel and black refusing to break contact. Amanda was the first to give in, leaning up to kiss her husband. At first it was soft, similar to their early courting rituals, before morphing into something passionate, desperate. When Suran rest his hands on her hips after slowly dragging them down her naked back, Amanda automatically jumped, wrapping her legs around her husband’s waist. “Suran,” she whispered against his lips, rubbing her wet arousal against his own. “I know, Amanda, I know,” Suran murmured, raising one hand to rest on her psi-points. “My mind to your mind...”“My thoughts to your thoughts...” Amanda recited.They joined in mind and body under the spray of the shower.“Amanda?”“Hmmm?” The woman hummed, not looking up from her food. After a good night’s sleep and wonderful love-making, Mandy’s mood was much better. “...do you wish to discuss the events of yesterday?” Suran asked. He was hesitant to breach the subject, but he needed to know what had triggered her in case he needed to help her overcome it.Mandy paused, setting her fork down. “To be honest, I still have no idea what exactly prompted that reaction. There was something so... viscerally wrong in the idea of Father and Aunt Nyota together. Father never held any interest in anyone before Mom, and Aunt Nyota and Uncle Bones had already begun dating before she met Father in the second-year linguistics course he was teaching. To me, my parents are t’hy’la , and nothing can break a bond as strong as that. I believe this version of my Father is either ignorant of the bond they can form, or is still too grief-stricken to care. The last one seems unlikely though. Father’s empathic abilities are not as strong as mine, but he is always conscious of others around him. I will have to speak with Serik in order to determine what exactly happened, since there were many things Uncle Bones refused to talk about. His answers will determine whether or not I interfere with the identity of my father.”Suran nodded. “Logic not withstanding for the moment, I believe you should say something.”Amanda smiled. “I love you, you know that right?”In the comforts of their quarters, Suran allowed himself to smile brightly at the love of his life. “I never doubted this since the moment said yes to my second proposal.”Mandy’s laughter burst into the room like a warm summer’s wind. “In my defense, I’m surprised I was able to say no the first time from the shock I was in.”“It was rather impressive,” Suran said with a smirk.Mandy did what any good wife would do in this situation: she flipped off her husband before getting ready for her shift.“Pass me that decoupler, will you?” Kirk asked one of the ensigns, setting down the hyperspanner for the moment. She had been working hard on the engines most of the day with the others in the department. With the supplies James had had beamed over, the repairs wouldn’t take more than a day to complete, two at the most. The captain had thrown herself into the work, allowing to calm her in a way only her loved ones, mediation or reading could. “Captain?” someone said as she was handed the tool. Kirk shimmied out of the conduit she was in so she could see the face of her chief engineer. Lieutenant Commander Esaage stood before her, her maroon uniform covered in patches of grease and sweat. “Lt. Suran wanted me to tell you that it’s nearly 1500 hours,” the Betazoid told her, helping her captain into a standing position. “Already? Thanks, Esaage. I’ll try to stop by again later today or early tomorrow. We’re making too much progress to stop now!” Kirk said, excited about how much she was able to help.Esaage gave her captain a blinding smile. “Thank you for your assistance today, Captain. Enjoy your time on the Enterprise .”“I will!” Kirk said with a twinkle in her eye, saying her goodbyes to everyone in the vicinity before taking her leave. Ugh, I reek , she thought as she maneuvered her way out of the paths of busy crewmembers. Though she had only led them for a year, there had been an unspoken rule amongst the crew: when not in the presence of outsiders (excluding the Enterprise , of course), she was to be treated as any other working crew member. When not doing her duties as captain, she was always found helping out in some part of the ship: the engine rooms, the daycares, the labs... She was not one to be held back simply because Starfleet wanted her to sit on her ass all day. Her parents had raised her better than that. She was an example not only for her crew, but for all that looked up to her. In her world, she was a very popular, very powerful celebrity. Her influence stretched as far as the known galaxy, and she knew it. Being the child of a Kelvin survivor and a Human-Vulcan halfling made her notorious from the moment the universe knew she was growing within her mother. Mandy sighed as she entered the lift, annoyed where her train of thought was leading her. Like her parents and grandparents before her, she had the ability to change so many lives for the better, or for worse. She was silent as she got off on Deck 25, heading in the direction of her quarters. When she entered, she looked around all that she had built for the past year: gifts from those who she had negotiated with, holo-images of her family, a ceremonial bat’leth gifted to her by her Uncle Kagran, her and Suran’s shared bookshelves.... many of these were things she had been fortunate enough to collect over the years while her mate had not been allowed the “illogical” luxury. Stripping and throwing her clothes down the shoot for the “special” wash (mostly consisting of contaminated and engineering garments), she entered her bathroom and turned on the sonic shower. Mandy stared at her reflection in the mirror for a few moments while waiting for the shower to heat up.Mandy was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn’t even hear Suran enter the bathroom, not noticing him until his hand was placed on the bare skin of her shoulder. She jumped, tearing her eyes away from her reflection. “Perhaps it is wise to mediate before our meeting with the Ambassador,” Suran said, moving his hand until it rested on the back of Amanda’s neck. She nodded, leaning until her forehead was pressed to the clothed chest of her husband. “We will return to our own world soon enough. Do you wish to continue trying once we are back?”The hybrid nodded her head vigorously. “I’m not going to stop trying, you know this.”Suran kissed the top of her head. “Nor will I.”By 1515, Amanda and Suran were dressed and ready to meet Serik. Amanda ordered the transporter tech to beam them into one of the Enterprise ’s board rooms located with the VIP guest quarters on Deck 10. They waited a few minutes before exiting the room, turning left to head to the older Vulcan’s quarters. They were fortunate enough to not run into anyone before they stood in front of Serik’s door. Instead of knocking, Amanda let a small wave of her consciousness reach out, pulling back when she felt his response. A moment later, Serik opened the door and ushered them in. After locking the door and turning around, he studied the two Vulcans. He could see his Jim’s eyes staring back at him, his mother’s nose wrinkling as the young hybid graced him with a watery smile. “I’m so glad you’re here,” she said, rushing forward to hug Serik. He hugged her back, clutching her to him as one would their own child. “I would apologize for interrupting you yesterday, but I’m not sorry at all,” Amanda said, her laughter wet as she tried to hold back her tears.“If you had, I would be worried for your health,” Serik replied, pulling away and leading her to a table already set up for 3D chess. “Black or white?”Amanda’s smile could not have gotten bigger even if she tried. “White, please.” The two sat down while Suran asked to borrow a PADD, sitting between them once he grabbed the device. “What is said here stays here, yes?” Amanda asked, nodding at Serik once she had made her first move. “Of course. I can also safely assume that you have not told anyone but Doctor McCoy who your father is?”The younger hybrid nodded. “All I did was lift my hair. Nothing needed to be said. Don’t worry, I’ve already covered the tracks in case James decides to hack the system... again.”Serik’s lips tilt up at that, finally making his own move. “I would not be surprised if he succeeded at any time that isn’t now. From the brief touching of our minds yesterday, you possess an intelligence that can outwit even a Kirk’s creativity.”“Mom has taught me a lot of things by just allowing me to watch her work. You’d be amazed what women can get away with when all anyone sees is a pretty face.” Amanda made a move.“I would be interested in hearing such stories.” Serik mirrored her.Amanda smiled. “As long as I get some in return. I’ve been wondering how similar your timeline is to the one whose stories entertained much of my childhood.”They continued back and forth in such a way for the next hour, finding a great deal of comfort in finally being able to speak freely, without the worry of censoring certain information that could influence the world they are currently in. “Fascinating,” Serik breathed as Amanda finished sharing the events that lead to her parent’s bonding and her conception. “I am so proud to be their happiest accident,” Amanda said, moving her piece to its final position. “Check.”Serik gave the youngling a nod of admiration, similar to nods Father would give her and Leo as they learned anything and everything, their curiosity knowing no bounds. “You have learned well,” he said, nodding towards the illogical move that had cost him his victory. Amanda shrugs. “I had amazing teachers. It was hard not to learn something new every day.” She hesitated for a moment, before asking the question that she had been dying to ask. “No one here is willing to tell me what happened with Nero and the Narada . From what I can ascertain, Vulcan did not survive here. Nor did my namesake. But I wish to know the details.”The elder hybrid stared at her. “Vulcan... survived?”“Barely,” Amanda breathed, “Mother liked to call it dumb luck that Aunt Nyota managed to get the information needed for her to connect the Klingon ships to what had happened decades earlier.” A pause. “Where did Nero place you before he used red matter on the planet?”“I was transported to Delta Vega.”The hybrid’s brows furrowed. “Really? How interesting.”“In your time?” Serik asked.“Vulcan. Nero had wanted him to die knowing he was the cause of his people’s endangerment. He was with the other elders recovered from the katric ark.” She elected not to mention her mother’s involvement in their rescue at that point in time. “Does Grandfather know who you are?” Amanda asked, hoping to redirect the conversation towards something lighter.Serik nodded. “Once I revealed my identity to my younger counterpart, it seemed logical to also tell him as well. He took it rather well, considering the circumstances.”“I can imagine,” Amanda agreed with a laugh. “I believe Grandfather had a better grasp on that than when Mother became pregnant with me. Miracles are not as easy to comprehend, apparently.”The elder half-Vulcan’s lips tilted in a not-smirk. “I have no doubt of that.”“Was that how you felt when you met your James?” Serik nodded at Amanda’s question. “It’s interesting: Kirks perform what others see as miracles, but are what we see as something that needs to be done. Not a marvel, but courage that we have had no choice but to have. I like to think it is in our genetics, along with sarcasm and enterprise. Where would the universe be without those like us?”“Boring,” Suran replied. “Also, more of it would most likely be on fire.”Amanda’s laughter was worth the illogic drivel just spoken.
They spent another fifteen minutes with the elder half-Vulcan before they needed to visit James in the dining hall. With a promise to visit once more before leaving, they made their way to the turbolift. “Deck 15,” Suran said, wrapping his wife’s arm in his own. “
Are you any closer to making a decision?
”
Amanda shook her head in the negative. “
I still find myself conflicted. The Prime Directive tells me one thing, but my heart wants James to be happy. It breaks it to know he is in pain.
”
“
Would you care for my opinion?
” Amanda nodded, always willing to hear his thoughts on any matter. “
Even if you are not conceived, the chances of that slim with what we know is most likely to occur soon, they are
t’hy’la
. That in itself defies any orders Starfleet have made. There is a reason they have bonded pairs on the same assignment. If they are somehow separated, who knows what will happen to either of them.
”
Amanda shuddered, remembering Khan in vivid detail. “
I’ll talk to him alone tomorrow
,” she told him. Suran nodded, leading her to the mess hall once the lift let them off on Deck 15. There were just as many eyes on them yesterday, somehow more intense with the knowledge of their bonding spreading through the ship faster than Anchilles fever. She immediately noticed James light up when they made eye contact, causing her to return his smile. “The fun has officially arrived,” she told him, making him laugh. They hugged each other before she sat next to James. The seating arrangement was different to the one yesterday. For one, Uncles Hikaru, Scotty and Bones has not yet graced them with their presence. For another, Aunt Nyota was sitting next to James, with Father and Uncle Pavel sitting across. Mandy was slightly suspect of the placing of her parents’ counterparts across from each other. She was worried if her presence hurt their relationship. ”How was everyone’s day?” she asked the table.
“Pretty boring. Yours?” James responded.
“I was elbows-deep in the engines for most of the day. It was cathartic, especially since I’m sure Suran’s day was peaceful without me ricocheting around the back of his head like a boomerang.”
“I think your cousin’s description is more apt,” Suran replied, sitting down at the head of the table.
“She called my brain ‘a cocaine-fueled bouncy ball’!”
“Again, apt.”
“Bite me.”
“Not in public, dear. I have a reputation to uphold.”
Amanda laughed. “Love you, too.”
“Your dynamic is quite fascinating. Even amongst other couples I have met, there is nothing comparable to what we have witnessed thus far,” Spock said.
Amanda smiled her most charming Kirk smile. “Thank you!” she told him. “I try to do my best to give him what others in his life refused to do.” At Father’s raised eyebrow, she mentally asked her husband if it was ok to talk about his past. With the go-ahead given, she gave her best explanation. “You know how there are those who can twist something that is seen as ideal by many, and they twist it until it becomes a smoldering husk of what it once represented?” As she said this, she twisted her right hand until it looked gnarled. “That’s what his parents did with Surak’s teachings. There aren’t enough middle fingers in the universe to express how much I hate them. So I give him my love freely, along with the rest of my family. I mean, there is an actual cherub sitting at this table,” she concluded, waving her left hand towards Uncle Pavel.
“There are many variations of the cherubim mythos. Are you referring to the modern conceptualization in which they are seen as a winesome creature, or how the ancient Jews viewed them: attendants of God?”
The hybrid tilted her head at Father’s question. “Mostly modern, as he was created not to be a servant to James, but to be his own man... as we talk about him like he’s not even here. Sorry,” she said this last part to her uncle, who was watching the back and forth excitedly.
“Iz fine. I know dat there vaz no harm intended.”
“Of course! I couldn’t say anything bad about any of you, no matter what universe,” Amanda said confidently. “Well,” she amended, “most universes. I’ve heard stories about an alternate reality where James, along with my mother, were Earth’s cruelest champions.”
“How do you get to hear all these cool stories, but everytime I ask all I get is ‘I will not interfere with your destiny’ crap,” James complained.
“I was sworn to secrecy by my world’s Spock Prime to never divulge any of his stories to my family, but never said anything about speaking about them to other counterparts of the people who raised me,” Amanda pointed out with a smirk.
James’ eyes grew huge, as if he just discovered he was locked in a candy shop by himself for the duration of a night. “
Tellmetellmetellmetellmetellme
,” he said, rocking her slightly side-to-side in his excitement.
Amanda smiled at his exuberance. “I can give you a few stories from my Serik, but some... some are too painful to talk about. I would rather keep them to myself.” James nodded his understanding, and Mandy pondered the stories. There were a few interesting ones she knew the other Kirk would appreciate. With a smirk, she tells him of Charlie Evans, how Joan Prime was hit on by the Greek “god” Apollo, and how Spock Prime’s brain was stolen in order to power a super-computer that powered an all-female civilization. “I swear, if I hadn’t been there to see what my parents had to go through during their own missions, I would’ve thought he was exaggerating.”
“I swear they make fun of us at Starfleet when we send back mission reports.
I
wouldn’t believe half the stuff we’ve come into contact with if I hadn’t been there to witness it,” James said.
“Honestly,” Amanda said. After that, Uncle Pavel asked James questions about some new engineering breakthroughs, allowing Mandy the chance to observe the different dynamics. It seemed that James and Uncle Pavel were particularly close, which was unsurprising to Mandy. The same could be said for the dynamic of Father and Aunt Nyota, though it still disturbed her that they were once together. It took everything in the hybrid not to shudder. As to not give away anything, she and Surantalked telepathically. She still did the human thing of moving her hands while talking. It seemed to distract her father slightly, who watched in fascination while also continuing his conversation with Nyota. There was something about her...
Suran and his wife left the Enterprise a few hours later in higher spirits than the day before. If only they knew that the truth would come out before they could give it willingly.